in  the  ®it0  erf  |lcn»  ^ovU 


GIVEN    BY 


,..l\x, Vi..'a.*f..\ o.\ti.icW\. 


This  copy  of  the  "  Correspondence  of 
Major-General  John  Sedgwick"  is 
one  of  an  edition  of  three  hun- 
dred copies  printed  at   The 
De  Finne  Press,  on  hand- 
made paper,  from  type, 
in    May,    nineteen 
hundred  and  two 


CORRESPONDENCE   OF 
JOHN   SEDGWICK 


MAJOR-GENERAL 


CORRESPONDENCE 

OF 

JOHN  SEDGWICK 

MAJOR-GENERAL 


VOLUME   I 


PRINTED    FOR 
CARL   AND    ELLEN    BATTELLE   STOECKEL 

MCMII 


Copyright,  1902,  by 
Carl  Stoeckel 


THESE    VOLUMES    ARE 

DEDICATED    TO 

MRS.   EMILY    SEDGWICK    WELCH 

THE  ONLY   SURVIVING   SISTER 

OF    GENERAL    SEDGWICK 


INTRODUCTION 

S  the  world  goes  on,  and  the 
present  time  passes  into  his- 
tory, a  constantly  increasing 
interest  attaches  to  the  words 
and    acts  of  those  who   have 

made  that  history. 

Biography  is  becoming  more  and  more  the 
most  fascinating  of  general  reading.  More  and 
more  we  love  to  mark  by  a  tablet  the  spots  of 
earth  where,  by  individual  effort,  a  forward  step 
has  been  taken  or  a  turning-point  reached  in  the 
life  of  the  nation.  More  and  more  we  delight 
to  commemorate  the  birthplaces  and  the  final 
resting-places  of  our  great  men.     Within  due 

xi 


328342. 


INTRODUCTION 

bounds,  hero-worship  is  a  generous  passion. 
The  desire  to  learn  the  details  of  the  lives  of  our 
noble  dead,  what  were  their  likes  and  dislikes, 
their  favorite  and  familiar  habits, —  not  their 
graces  only,  but  even  their  foibles, —  is  a  craving 
common  to  eager  natures.  It  is  an  honorable 
instinct  as  well  as  a  just  tribute.  Moreover, 
the  letters  of  our  vanished  friends  are  like  their 
living  voices  —  they  bring  the  writers  as  if  from 
the  grave  to  our  minds  and  hearts. 

For  these  reasons  we  deeply  regret  that  the 
records  of  Major-General  John  Sedgwick's  life 
are  so  scanty,  but  we  are  proportionately  grate- 
ful that  so  much  of  his  correspondence  has  been 
saved  as  appears  in  these  few  pages.  It  adds, 
also,  to  the  interest  of  these  letters  that  they  were 
written  without  the  least  idea  that  they  might 
ever  reach  a  somewhat  wider  circle.  With  the 
charm  of  unpremeditation  they  have  the  care- 
less ease  which  belongs  to  untrammeled  family 
correspondence.  Though  adding  little  to  our 
knowledge  of  either  the  Mexican  or  the  Civil 
War,  it  is  very  interesting  to  observe  the  writer's 
personal  connection  with  both.     Those  military 

xii  / 


INTRODUCTION 

movements  which,  under  the  leadership  of  Tay- 
lor and  Scott,  met  with  such  extraordinary  suc- 
cess, become  vivid  when  we  read  his  incidental 
and  off-hand  account  of  them,  though  so  frag- 
mentary and  incomplete.  We  thrill  with  his 
righteous  indignation  at  such  disgraces  as  the 
two  Bull  Runs,  and  those  disheartening  failures 
at  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville,  which  he 
did  all  that  one  man  could  do  to  prevent.  We 
share  his  sense  of  relief  in  the  gracious  salvation 
of  Gettysburg,  and  his  renewed  anxiety  in  the 
desperate  struggles  of  the  Wilderness.  As  we 
read  the  letters  these  feelings  come  to  many  of 
us  with  a  keener  sense  of  reality  than  at  second 
hand  in  the  historian's  narrative. 

When  the  idea  of  printing  the  correspondence 
first  suggested  itself,  the  only  letters  which  were 
known  to  exist  were  those  written  during  the 
Mexican  War,  about  ten  years  after  Sedgwick's 
graduation  from  West  Point.  Even  those, 
modest  as  they  are,  are  of  much  interest.  Many 
of  us  to-day  do  not  like  the  way  in  which  the 
quarrel  with  Mexico  was  provoked  by  the  United 
States.     It  recalls  the  story  of  the  wolf  and  the 

xiii 


INTRODUCTION 

lamb.  But  this,  as  a  matter  of  national  ethics, 
concerns  only  the  crafty  politicians  who  devised 
the  war  in  the  interest  of  slavery. 

The  officers  and  men  who  won  at  Palo  Alto 
and  Cerro  Gordo  were  entitled  to  the  same  praise 
with  those  who  fought  at  Antietam  or  Spottsyl- 
vania.  But  no  more  wars,  it  may  be  safely  and 
thankfully  said,  will  be  waged  by  Anglo-Saxons 
on  this  continent,  for  generations  at  least,  to  pro- 
mote any  cause  or  extend  any  area  but  those  of 
freedom.  We  are  glad  that  the  later  correspond- 
ence has  come  to  light.  While  the  sense  of 
duty  which  carried  Sedgwick  through  our  earlier 
strifes  was  honorable  to  him,  it  is  satisfactory  to 
have  also  a  personal  record  of  his  connection 
with  a  war  more  honorable  to  the  country. 

Though  the  story  of  these  wars  has  been  so 
often  told  and  retold  since  these  letters  were 
written,  they  still  have  the  interest  that  attaches 
to  all  the  words  and  acts  of  a  noble  actor  in  both 
military  dramas.  In  the  second  series  they  have 
the  weight  which  belongs  to  mature  experience 
and  high  command. 

Sedgwick  was  a  born    soldier.     Throughout 

xiv 


INTRODUCTION 

his  correspondence  we  recognize  the  simpHcity, 
modesty,  straightforwardness,  and  courage  which 
made  him,  in  the  hearts  of  his  command,  a  not 
less  beloved  officer  than  any  in  the  Federal  army. 
In  almost  every  one  of  these  letters  we  catch 
also  a  glimpse  of  the  tenderness  of  his  brave  heart. 
Had  he  survived  the  American  conflict,  it  would 
have  been  his  wish  to  end  his  days,  like  Cincin- 
natus,  on  his  farm.  He  would  have  beaten  his 
sword  into  a  plow-share,  and  digged  in  the  soil 
where  he  now  lies. 

But  it  was  otherwise  ordered.  In  the  "  Corn- 
wall Hollow,"  under  the  shadow  of  the  Cornwall 
Hills,  rest  his  honored  remains.  A  noble  but 
simple  monument,  the  tribute  partly  of  loving 
friends  and  partly  of  a  grateful  country,  marks 
the  spot.  No  soldier  has  a  purer  record;  few 
soldiers  have  a  more  beautiful  resting-place  or 
a  more  appropriate  memorial. 

Henry  D.  Sedgwick. 


XV 


St.  Josephs,  Texas,  July  23,  1846. 


My  dear  sister : 

I  have  a  moment  to  tell  you  of  my  safe  arrival 
at  this  place.  We  land  to-morrow  morning  and 
proceed  to  Matamoras,  when  I  will  write  the 
news.  We  have  had  a  long  and  tedious  passage 
of  forty-five  days,  with  light  winds,  and  generally 
ahead ;  but  since  last  Saturday  it  has  been  blow- 
ing a  gale,  and  kept  us  from  hearing  any  news 
from  the  shore,  so  that  we  have  not  a  word  from 
the  world  for  forty-five  days.  This  will  go  to 
New  Orleans  in  this  ship,  where  it  will  be  mailed, 
and  possibly  have  the  luck  to  reach  you.  I  shall 
take  occasion  to  write  a  line  by  every  mail,  and 
hope  to  receive  as  many. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J,  Sedgwick. 
I 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 
Fort  Polk,  Point  Isabel,  July  26,  1846. 

My  dear  sister : 

I  wrote  you  a  line  from  the  ship  that  brought 
us  here,  with  the  expectation  that  it  would  be 
mailed  at  New  Orleans,  and,  I  hope,  reach  you. 
We  sailed  from  New  York  on  the  13th  June, 
and  had  a  very  long  passage  —  forty-five  days  — 
but   with   this   exception :    quite  pleasant,  light 
winds,  generally  ahead,  which  did  not  advance 
us  much,  but  kept  us  cool,  and  verified  the  old 
saw,  "  That  it  is  an  ill  wind,"  etc.     On  the  even- 
ing  of  the    1 6th  we  made   Grace   light, —  two 
thirds  of  the  passage,  and  at  the  point  that  they 
cross  the  Gulf  Stream  to  Key  West.     We  were 
anticipating  a  speedy  trip,  but  here  the  wind  be- 
came dead  ahead,  and  drove  us  back  around  the 
island ;  and  eleven  days  after  we  made  the  same 
light,  in  the  very  track  we  had  previously  passed 
over,  and  with  no  more  reason  to  suppose  we 
should  succeed  better  again.    This  time  the  Cap- 
tain concluded  to  try  it  across  the  Bahama  Banks. 
He  knew  that  his  ship  drew  over  thirteen  feet  of 
water,  and  that  he  could  not  expect  to  find  but 
thirteen  and  a  half  feet,  and  this  for  a  distance 
of  seventy  miles.     We  had  now  a  fine  breeze  in 
the  right  direction,  and  before  morning  found 
ourselves  nearly  over,  the  ship  occasionally  grat- 

2 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

ing  along  on  the  bottom,  and  the  Captain  fearful 
of  grounding;  but  good  luck  brought  us  over. 
We  had  the  same  wind  for  ten  days,  that  brought 
us  in  sight  of  the  Brazos  (this  place),  when  the 
wind  came  out  ahead,  blowing  a  gale  for  three 
days,  moving  us  off  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles, 
which  took  us  three  days  more  to  make.  After 
reaching  here,  we  could  not  land  for  want  of  a 
steamboat  to  take  us  off;  and  there,  during  quite 
a  gale,  we  lay  rolling  about  like  a  log,  all  sea- 
sick. About  the  fourteenth  day  out  a  man  fell 
overboard,  and  there  appeared  little  prospect  of 
saving  him  ;  he  caught  a  fish-line  that  was  towing 
behind,  but  the  vessel  was  going  with  such  ve- 
locity that  it  drew  him  under,  and  he  was  obliged 
to  let  go.  Several  planks  were  then  thrown  him, 
one  of  which  he  caught  and  sustained  himself 
while  a  boat  could  be  lowered.  By  this  time  he 
was  out  of  sight,  except  as  he  rose  on  the  waves. 
The  Captain  thought  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  save  him,  as  he  was  fearful  the  boat  would  not 
hold  together ;  but  after  a  manful  struggle  he 
was  brought  on  board.  The  Captain  then  said 
that  this  was  the  sixth  man  he  had  had  fall  over- 
board, and  the  first  saved,  as  the  sharks  generally 
seize  them  before  they  are  long  in  the  water. 
We  spoke  several  vessels,  from  one  of  which  we 
learned  of  the  Oregon  treaty,  which  surprised  us 

3 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

some.     Think  —  we  were  more  than  forty  days 
without  hearing  anything  Hke  news,  or  knowing 
that  there  was  any  such  place  as  we  had  just  left ! 
On  our  arrival  here,  and  before  we  landed,  we 
could  see  the  trains  leaving  the  Point  for  Mata- 
moras  with  supplies.     They  were  in  companies 
of  from  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  fifty 
wagons,  with  six  to  eight  oxen  or  mules  to  each, 
reaching  a  distance  of  two  miles.     Everything 
here  looks  warlike.     Between  seven  and  eight 
thousand  troops  are  here,  in  camps  of  five  hun- 
dred and  a  thousand  each.     At  night  the  camp- 
fires  make  a  brilliant  appearance,  lighting  the 
whole  country  for  miles   around.     We  landed 
about   dark   and  without   our   baggage.     After 
marching  to  the  ground  where  we  were  to  en- 
camp, we  piled  our  arms,  the  men  made  some 
coffee,  when  we  lay  down  and  slept  Hke  old  sol- 
diers.    The  next  day  we  pitched  our  tents,  and 
are  now  waiting  orders  to  join  the  main  body, 
which  lies  at  Camargo,  about  a  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  up  the  Rio  Grande.    There,  it  is  expected, 
we  shall  remain  for  a  month  or  six  weeks,  and 
then,  if  there  is  no  change  in  our  relations  with 
Mexico,  to  proceed  to  Monterey,  about  a  hun- 
dred and  seventy  miles  further  in  the  interior. 
Here  it  is  conjectured  a  last  stand  will  be  made, 
and,  if  defeated,  they  can  make  no  further  oppo- 

4 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

sition.  So  far  I  like  the  country  very  much ;  it 
is  not  by  any  means  as  hot  as  I  expected  to  find 
it.  It  is  perfectly  healthy,  and  I  do  not  fear  as 
much  for  the  climate  as  I  do  that  I  may  be  kept 
here  for  a  long  time,  I  did  not  find  a  letter  here 
as  I  had  hoped,  and  I  am  afraid  many  will  mis- 
carry; mine  will  be  more  likely  to  reach  their 
destination  than  yours.  If  anything  happens  to 
me,  you  will  be  made  acquainted  with  it  imme- 
diately; yet  I  hope  to  join  you,  and  that  before 
many  months.  Till  then,  believe  me  that  I  love 
you  the  same  as  I  ever  have.       Your  brother, 

John. 

Rio  Grande,  Texas,  July  31,  1846. 

My  dear  sister : 

I  intended  to  have  written  you  again  before 
leaving  Point  Isabel,  but  I  was  ordered  to  leave 
at  an  hour's  notice.  I  am  now  en  route  for 
Camargo,  some  two  hundred  miles  up  the  river, 
with  two  companies  of  my  regiment  and  two  of 
the  4th  Artillery,  numbering  about  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty  men.  Yesterday  we  marched 
down  on  the  shore  of  the  Gulf,  with  a  delightful 
sea  breeze  —  but  withal  very  hot.  At  Camargo, 
report  says,  we  shall  remain  for  six  weeks  or  two 
months,  when  a  demonstration  is  to  be  made  on 

5 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Monterey,  an  interior  city  of  twenty-five  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  Rumor  says  that  the  enemy 
are  fortifying  very  strong,  but  Httle  reliance  can 
be  placed  on  any  of  their  stories.  I  have  received 
no  letter  yet,  but  have  heard  that  there  is  one 
for  me  at  Matamoras.  If  this  is  so,  I  shall  get 
it  to-morrow.  So  far  I  have  been  agreeably  dis- 
appointed, both  in  the  soil  and  climate  of  this 
country.  It  is  one  of  the  most  luxurious  coun- 
tries in  the  world.  Everything  grows  without 
any  cultivation.  By  sticking  the  seed  into  the 
ground,  it  grows  and  ripens  itself;  but  the  peo- 
ple are  too  lazy  to  do  even  that,  and  the  conse- 
quence is  that  you  get  nothing  except  what  is 
self-sown.  The  country  is  filled  with  cattle, 
sheep,  hogs,  and  horses,  worth  little  but  for  their 
hides.  Everybody  owns  as  many  as  he  chooses 
to  brand.  The  cattle  are  the  largest  I  have  ever 
seen,  and  the  horses  the  smallest,  and  perfectly 
worthless.  The  people  are  too  lazy  to  tame 
their  cows,  and  it  is  with  the  utmost  difficulty 
that  we  can  get  a  drop  of  milk.  This  morning 
a  little  Mexican  was  selling  milk  in  the  camp  at 
twenty-five  cents  a  quart,  and  it  went  very  quick 
at  that.  You  don't  know  the  luxury  of  having 
milk  till  you  are  deprived  of  it,  or  the  pleasure 
of  having  a  table  to  write  on  till  you  are  com- 
pelled to  write  on  your  knees.     I  have  not  writ- 

6 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

ten  to  father  yet,  knowing  that  you  are  at  home, 
and  that  he  will  most  likely  see  all  I  have  to  say. 
I  bid  you  adieu  until  I  arrive  at  Camargo. 
Your  affectionate  brother, 

J,  Sedgwick. 


Reynosa,  Rio  Grande,  August  8,  1846. 

My  dear  father : 

I  received  your  kind  letter  written  while  at 
Saratoga  on  the  3d  of  this  month,  on  my  way 
to  this  place,  while  passing  Matamoras.  At 
the  same  time  I  received  one  from  Emily, 
who  informed  me  of  your  trip  to  Saratoga.  I 
cannot  but  hope  from  the  tone  of  your  letter, 
and  from  my  own  most  ardent  wishes,  that 
you  will  find  it  beneficial,  and  that  you  have 
returned  before  this,  if  not  well,  at  least  so  far 
improved  as  to  be  able  to  enjoy  the  blessings 
with  which  you  are  surrounded.  My  last  let- 
ter to  Emily  informed  her  that  I  was  on  my 
way  to  join  the  main  body  of  the  army  at  Ca- 
margo, about  forty-five  miles  further  up  the 
river.  Since  then,  our  destination  has  been 
changed,  and  we  have  been  detained  here  to  gar- 
rison this  town,  much  to  our  chagrin.  Our  only 
consolation  is,  that  it  is  to  be  temporary,  and  we 
shall  soon  join  the  army  in  the  field,  to  share  with 

7 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

them  the  honors  and  hardships.  Of  the  future 
movements  of  the  army,  no  one  is  certain,  al- 
though every  one  has  his  opinion  ;  and  the  gen- 
eral one  is  that,  having  concentrated  at  Camargo, 
it  will  move  upon  Monterey  and  Saltillo  and  take 
possession  of  these  towns.  The  former  of  these 
contains  about  ten  thousand  inhabitants  and  is 
the  key  of  the  interior.  Here  it  is  thought  the 
Mexicans  will  make  a  stand,  the  result  of  which 
will  dispose  them  to  continue  the  war  or  make 
peace.  This  result  no  one  can  predict,  but  here 
everybody  is  as  sanguine  as  if  it  was  known. 
Our  privates  speak  confidently  of  success,  and 
would  defy  any  Mexican  force  that  could  be 
brought  against  them.  This  speaks  well,  if  their 
confidence  in  themselves  and  in  their  officers  is 
not  carried  too  far.  We  now  hold  possession 
of  all  the  principal  towns  on  the  river,  and  a  de- 
feat cannot  be  more  disastrous  than  it  would  be 
in  our  own  country.  It  looks  and  appears  as 
little  as  can  be  that  we  are  in  an  enemy's  coun- 
try. This  town,  of  more  than  two  thousand  in- 
habitants, is  held  by  three  hundred  soldiers. 
Everything  goes  on  as  usual.  Persons  attend 
to  their  own  business.  Our  camp  is  thronged 
with  country  people  with  milk,  eggs,  etc.,  to  sell. 
They  say  our  soldiers  treat  them  much  better 
than  their  own,  that  we  pay  them  for  everything, 
while  they  take  everything  they  want  without  it. 

8 


/ 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

In  fact,  I  think  we  treat  them  too  well,  that  they 
will  like  us  so  well,  they  will  petition  for  annex- 
ation. This  town  is  only  about  one  hundred 
miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  in  a  direct 
line,  although  it  is  more  than  three  hundred  by 
water.  The  river  has  such  a  current  that  it  is 
almost  impossible  for  a  steamboat  to  stem  it. 
We  were  four  days  in  coming  that  distance. 
General  Thompson  says  that  it  is  five  hundred 
feet  above  the  sea,  but  this  seems  almost  impos- 
sible, as  a  steamboat  can  barely  overcome  eight 
inches  in  a  mile.  Our  Captain,  who  is  from 
Norwich  in  Connecticut,  and  a  regular  Yankee, 
said  that  "  it  was  mighty  well  that  it  ran  so 
crooked,  for  if  it  did  not,  a  streak  of  lightning 
could  not  go  up  it."  You  will  hardly  believe 
the  ignorance  and  superstition  of  the  people 
here.  When  the  matin  and  vesper  bell  rings, 
the  people  all  without  exception,  no  matter  what 
they  are  doing,  prostrate  themselves  and  tell  their 
prayers  till  the  bell  stops.  A  day  or  two  since 
I  saw  the  funeral  of  a  child.  The  corpse  was 
placed  upon  the  coffin,  so  that  the  head  and  body 
were  visible  to  all,  and  carried  on  the  shoulders 
of  a  man  through  the  streets,  followed  by  two 
others,  one  playing  on  a  violin,  the  other  on  a 
clarinet,  then  the  mourners  chanting  a  sort  of 
wail.  After  leaving  the  church  the  music  played 
lively  marches,  waltzes,  etc.     I  asked  the  reason 

9 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

of  this,  and  was  told  that  after  the  ceremony  at 
the  church  the  child  was  absolved  and  received 
among  the  blest  and  their  wailing  was  turned 
into  rejoicing.  The  principal  priest  of  this  town 
was  at  the  battles,  urging  the  soldiers  to  exter- 
minate the  barbarians  of  the  north.  He  was 
drowned  in  crossing  the  river  at  Matamoras  on 
the  eve  of  the  9th  of  May.  It  is  said  that  be- 
tween one  thousand  and  twelve  hundred  were 
drowned  in  that  retreat.  Everybody  here  be- 
lieves it, —  Americans  that  have  lived  here  for 
years  say  that  there  is  no  doubt  of  it,  and  all 
the  reports  that  we  have  of  the  condition  of 
Arista's  army,  as  he  retreated,  agree  that  it  was 
totally  disorganized  and  that  he  could  not  as- 
semble more  than  three  thousand  five  hundred 
men.  Yet  they  may  give  us  a  great  deal  of 
trouble  yet.  It  is  not  hotter  here  than  at  New 
York  this  season.  As  I  am  writing,  the  breeze 
is  blowing  freshly,  and  showers  every  day,  which 
keep  the  air  cool.  Our  mails  are  very  irregular ; 
I  suppose  my  letters  have  a  better  chance  of 
reaching  you,  and  I  will  let  you  know  of  my 
whereabouts  whenever  I  have  an  opportunity  of 
sending.  Give  my  love  to  all,  and  believe  me 
to  be, 

Your  affectionate  son, 

John  Sedgwick. 
10 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Reynosa,  Rio  Grande,  August  15,  1846. 

My  dear  sister: 

I  avail  myself  of  a  boat  waiting  to  go  down  to 
Matamoras  to  write  you  again.  From  there, 
there  is  weekly  intercourse  with  New  Orleans. 
I  have  as  yet  received  but  one  letter  from  father 
and  one  from  you,  but  I  have  just  heard  that 
there  is  a  mail  at  Matamoras,  and  am  looking 
for  letters  every  day.  I  can  hardly  realize  that 
I  am  in  an  enemy's  country,  and  were  it  not  for 
the  strange  and  outlandish-looking  horses  and 
carts,  and,  in  fact,  everything  Mexican,  I  could 
not  persuade  myself  that  I  was  not  in  some  out- 
of-the-way  frontier  town.  The  houses  are  all 
stone,  and  generally  one  story  high,  the  roofs 
flat  (cement  and  stone),  the  sides  projecting 
about  three  feet  above  the  roofs,  making  a  sort 
of  promenade  on  them.  But  everything  looks 
as  if  it  had  been  built  for  centuries,  and  has  the 
appearance  of  those  old  tumble-down  ruins  that 
you  see  in  old  pictures.  The  town  is  situated 
on  a  ridge  running  back  from  the  river,  and 
about  a  mile  from  it.  In  the  center  is  a  large 
square,  the  streets  coming  in  at  the  angles.  On 
the  sides  facing  the  plaza  are  the  public  build- 
ings, stores,  and  the  aristocratic  residences.  The 
troops  are  quartered  in  the  public  buildings  and 

II 


CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

some  private  ones  hired  for  the  purpose ;  the 
officers  in  tents  on  the  square.  My  tent  is  di- 
rectly opposite  the  Cathedral,  at  about  two  hun- 
dred yards'  distance.  Every  morning  at  sunrise 
the  bell  rings  for  prayers,  and  you  will  see  all 
sorts  of  people  hurrying  back  and  forth  for  about 
an  hour,  when  it  closes,  and  the  same  in  the 
evening.  On  Saturday  the  bells  (there  are  four) 
ring  for  hours  —  a  sort  of  tune.  I  asked  what  it 
was  for ;  was  told  that  it  was  to  let  the  people 
know  that  the  next  day  was  Sunday.  People  of 
every  grade,  when  passing  the  church,  remove 
their  hats,  and  carry  them  in  their  hands ;  and 
now,  as  I  look  out,  I  see  a  dozen  with  their  hats 
off — by  the  way,  this  is  about  the  only  article 
of  dress  they  have.  Children  of  all  sorts  run 
about  with  nothing  on.  The  better  class  dress 
with  some  taste,  and  always  neatly ;  in  fact,  I 
have  never  seen  anything  filthy  in  their  persons. 
There  are  some  few  Yankees  here.  Do  you 
remember  seeing  in  some  of  Sydney  Smith's 
writings  this  fact,  that  Yankees  were  found 
everywhere  ?  —  and  after  mentioning  several 
instances,  he  winds  up  with  one :  that  some 
English  naval  officer  thought  he  had  discovered 
a  valuable  island,  and  was  saiHng  into  an  inlet  to 
anchor,  when  he  saw  a  boat  put  off  from  the 

12 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

shore  and  come  alongside,  and  heard  in  a  nasal 
twang,  "  Do  you  want  a  pilot  ?  "   The  first  person 
I  saw  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  has  that  same 
twang,  and   is  from    Norwich.     The   first   one 
here  is  the  interpreter  and  is  from  New  London. 
There    is    also   a   lady  here    from   Connecticut 
whose  husband  is  from  the  North.     I  have  not 
seen  her  yet.    I  just  asked  the  interpreter's  wife, 
who  is  quite  a  pretty  Mexican  lady,  if  she  spoke 
English.  She  said,"  Little,  no  more."  The  women 
all  bathe  every  day ;  they  go  down  to  the  river 
about  four  o'clock  with  a  large  earthen  vessel, 
which  they  carry  on  their  heads  filled  with  water, 
take  a  bath,  and  bring  back  their  water  for  the 
next  day.    The  country  here  is  perfectly  healthy. 
The  yellow  fever  was   never  known  here,  and 
was  never  known  to  be  at  Matamoras  more  than 
three  or  four  times,  and  the  farther  you  get  into 
the  interior  the  healthier  it  is.      I  say  this  be- 
cause all  physicians  say  that  there  never  was  so 
large  a  body  of  men  with  so  little  sickness,  and 
this  only  amongst  the  most  intemperate.    I  never 
was  in  better  health  in  my  life,  although  I  have 
been  a  little  down.    I  shall  probably  remain  here 
whilst  the  army  are  gone  into  the  interior.     It  is 
now  at  Camargo,  and  is  to  move  about  the  first 
of  next  month.      I  have  no  fear  of  the  result ; 

13 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

they  can't  be  beaten.      Hoping  to  see  you  next 
spring,  if  not  sooner,  I  am. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

John  Sedgwick. 


Reynosa,  Mexico,  August  30,  1846. 

My  dear  sister : 

I  wrote  you  but  two  days  since,  but  as  the 
conveyance  to  Point  Isabel  was  very  doubtful, 
I  avail  myself  of  another  opportunity  to  send 
you  a  line.  I  have  nothing  particularly  inter- 
esting to  write,  either  about  myself  or  this  most 
uninteresting  country.  You  will  perceive  that 
I  am  still  where  I  was  when  I  wrote  you  last, 
with  no  prospect  of  leaving —  at  least,  until  some 
new  base  of  operations  has  been  decided  on. 
The  army  are  pushing  on  into  the  interior,  in 
different  directions,  and  without  meeting  the 
enemy.  At  one  time  hopes  were  entertained  of 
bringing  them  to  an  engagement  at  Monterey, 
but  the  latest  accounts  say  that  there  are  few  or 
no  troops  there.  Our  troops  now  occupy  all 
the  towns  of  any  size,  not  only  on  the  river  but 
in  the  interior,  and  volunteers  are  continually 
flocking  in.  General  Taylor  says  he  has  thou- 
sands more  than    he  knows  what  to  do  with. 

14 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Unless  some  indications  of  peace  are  soon  shown 
by  Mexico,  impressions  seem  to  be  that,  gar- 
risoning all  the  towns  we  hold  now,  the  regulars 
and  some  volunteers  will  proceed  to  Vera  Cruz 
by  sea,  and  then  to  the  City  of  Mexico  itself,  if 
possible.  I  have  just  spent  a  few  hours  with 
Lieutenant  Chase  of  the  2d,  whose  letter  you 
have  seen,  and  from  him  learnt  many  most  inter- 
esting anecdotes  of  the  battles  of  the  8th  and  9th. 
One  related  to  a  very  intimate  friend  of  mine, 
Lieutenant  Blake  of  the  engineers.  He  was  on 
the  staff  of  General  Taylor.  When  it  was  under- 
stood that  the  enemy  were  in  front  prepared  for 
battle,  he  was  sent  forward  to  ascertain  their 
position.  This  he  did  in  the  most  gallant  man- 
ner. He  went  to  within  four  hundred  yards  of 
their  line,  drew  a  diagram  of  their  position,  the 
position  of  batteries,  their  cavalry  and  the  re- 
serve. When  returning,  he  passed  near  where 
the  battalion  of  our  regiment  was  stationed,  and 
sung  out  to  them  :  "  Gentlemen,  you  have  got 
a  big  army  to  fight ;  there  are  not  less  than  six 
thousand  men."  After  the  battle,  as  he  returned 
to  his  tent,  in  dismounting  from  his  horse  one 
of  his  pistols  fell  and  shot  him.  He  lived  but 
a  few  hours,  was  perfectly  sensible,  and  said,  "It 
was  hard  to  live  through  such  glorious  battles 
and  then  be  killed  by  such  an  accident."     He 

15 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

died  regretted  by  the  whole  army,  and  more 
particularly  by  General  Taylor,  who  attributes 
no  small  share  of  the  success  of  the  day  to  his 
bold  reconnoissance.  Lieutenant  Chase  said 
that  during  the  heat  of  battle,  when  everybody 
was  very  doubtful,  he  was  sent  with  a  message 
to  General  Taylor  that  the  enemy  were  making 
their  way  to  the  rear,  evidently  to  cut  off  the 
retreat.  He  found  the  General  writing,  in  midst 
of  his  staff,  with  his  leg  over  the  pommel  of  his 
saddle,  the  most  unconcerned  man  in  the  crowd. 
He  delivered  his  message ;  the  General  very 
calmly  told  him  to  "  keep  a  bright  lookout  for 
them."  On  the  evening  of  the  8th  a  council 
was  held,  to  see  if  they  should  advance,  or  wait 
till  the  expected  reinforcement  came  up.  A 
great  majority  of  the  officers  were  for  waiting. 
At  that  time  Captain  Duncan  was  riding  by,  and, 
although  not  one  of  the  Council,  was  called  by 
the  General  and  asked  his  opinion ;  he  answered, 
"  We  have  whipped  them  to-day,  and  we  can 
again  to-morrow."  The  General  answered, 
"  That  is  my  opinion.  Captain  Duncan.  Gentle- 
men, you  will  prepare  your  commands  to  move 
forward ;  the  Council  is  dissolved."  There 
probably  never  were  so  many  personal  feats  of 
daring  and  gallantry  performed  by  so  few.  I 
can  speak  of  them  without  prejudice  or  vanity, 

i6 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

as  I  was  not  one  of  them,  but  ^eel  excessively 
proud  by  being  associated  with  them.  You  see, 
I  have  spun  out  one  of  my  usual  letters  with 
this  old  story.  I  have  received  but  three  letters 
from  home  yet  —  two  from  father  and  one  from 
you.  1  have  been  trying  to  write  to  Olive,  but 
then  I  think  she  is  so  near  you  that  she  will  see 
everything  she  cares  about.  Hoping  that  you 
will  write  often,  and  not  forget  your  brother,  I 
will  remain.  Yours, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Reynosa,  Mexico,  September  to,  1846. 

My  dear  father : 

I  avail  myself  of  another  opportunity  of  send- 
ing you  a  word.  I  am  still  here  at  the  same 
place  as  when  I  last  wrote,  with  but  little  pros- 
pect of  going  with  the  army  this  campaign  ;  this 
I  very  much  regret,  but  it  cannot  be  helped, 
and  I  resign  myself  with  a  better  grace  as  it  is 
altogether  the  pleasantest  depot  in  this  country, 
and  1  have  only  to  complain  of  a  want  of  some- 
thing to  do.  General  Taylor  is  at  this  time  at  or 
near  Monterey,  with  an  advance  of  six  thousand 
men  and  a  reserve  at  Camargo  of  some  four  or 
five  thousand, —  the  last  volunteers, —  and  a  still 
further  reserve  of  three  thousand  at  the  mouth 

17 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

of  the  river  —  enough,  if  properly  disciplined,  to 
march  to  Mexico.  There  is  a  great  difference 
of  opinion  about  the  prospect  of  a  battle  near 
Saltillo.  Many  think  that  they  will  make  a 
stand  there,  for  the  honor  of  the  magnanimous 
nation ;  others  think  they  will  retire  upon  our 
advance  ;  but  of  this  I  am  sure,  if  they  make  a 
stand,  it  will  be  another  Palo  Alto  affair.  There 
never  was  so  fine  an  American  army  as  General 
Taylor  has  with  him.  It  is  better  organized, 
has  a  greater  proportion  of  artillery,  and  is  better 
equipped,  than  any  army  we  have  ever  sent  into 
the  field ;  and  no  one  fears  the  result  with  any 
numbers  that  the  Mexicans  can  bring  against 
them.  The  only  difficulty  is,  that  they  can't 
be  found  when  wanted.  General  Ampudia  has 
just  issued  his  proclamation,  forbidding  all  cit- 
izens furnishing  any  articles  of  produce,  horses, 
mules,  or  wood  for  steamboats,  under  the  penalty 
of  being  shot ;  says  he  has  eight  thousand  sol- 
diers to  drive  the  rebels  from  the  country,  and 
that  General  Santa  Anna  is  coming  with  eight 
thousand  more.  This  is  probably  more  bombast 
than  truth.  At  all  events,  in  a  month  we  shall 
see  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  his  declarations. 
We  live  on  very  friendly  terms  here  with  the 
citizens  ;  they  furnish  us  everything  we  want  at 
a  reasonable  price,  the  same  as  our  own  citizens 

i8 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

would.  The  civil  authorities  exercise  all  the 
authority  they  did  before  the  invasion,  and  to  a 
spectator  no  difference  can  be  seen  between  this 
and  an  ordinary  garrison.  We  occasionally  have 
a  blow  up  of  a  steamboat  to  add  to  the  other 
sorrows  of  war.  A  few  days  since  a  steamboat 
burst  her  boiler  a  few  miles  from  here,  killing 
several  instantly  and  scalding  a  great  many  ter- 
ribly. Seventeen  were  brought  to  this  place, 
the  most  horrible-looking  objects  I  ever  saw; 
they  were  all  without  clothes, except  shirts.  Many 
were  so  black  and  crisp  that  the  skin  and  flesh 
came  off  together ;  others  that  the  water  had 
taken  all  the  skin  off;  and  then  others  with 
broken  arms,  legs,  ribs,  etc.  Of  this  number 
two  have  died,  the  others  are  slowly  recovering. 
The  boat  was  loaded  with  volunteer  troops,  por- 
tions of  different  regiments  that  had  been  left 
sick  below  here.  No  one  can  tell  the  number 
lost;  all  agree  in  saying  that  the  river  was  full 
of  persons  who  were  knocked  or  jumped  over- 
board, and  that  but  few  could  have  got  ashore. 
The  hands  of  the  boat  were  most  of  them  lost. 
Write  often,  as  I  hear  but  little  I  care  about 
except  from  home.  Emily  must  n't  wait  for  my 
letters,  but  write,  write. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

John  Sedgwick. 

19 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 
Reynosa,  Mexico,  September  19,  1846. 

My  dear  father: 

I  received  your  letter  of  August  29  this  morn- 
ing. You  inform  me  of  the  receipt  of  my  first 
three  letters,  and  also  of  my  baggage  sent  home, 
etc.  I  think  you  will  find  in  one  of  those  let- 
ters I  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  one  of  your 
letters ;  also,  that  there  is  one  at  Matamoras  for 
me.  I  have  now  up  to  this  date  received  four 
letters  from  you,  and  only  two  from  Emily.  I 
think  some  of  her  letters  have  gone  on  to  Mon- 
terey, and  I  probably  shall  receive  them  some 
time  or  other.  I  wrote  you  by  the  steamer  New 
Tork^  which,  you  will  have  learned  before  this, 
was  lost,  near  Galveston,  with  nineteen  passen- 
gers, all  her  cargo,  etc.  I  also  sent  one  to  Emily 
by  the  Telegraphy  which  sailed  on  the  loth  inst. 
There  is  some  alarm  felt  for  her  safety,  as  she 
was  out  in  the  same  gale  that  the  New  York  was 
lost  in. 

There  will  probably  have  been  fought,  long 
before  you  receive  this,  a  great  battle  at  or  near 
Monterey,  the  result  of  which  will  materially 
affect  us  here,  as  it  will  decide  the  fate  of  the 
campaign.  That  the  Mexicans  are  determined 
to  fight  there  can  be  no  doubt,  and  that  there 
are   assembled  a  large   number  of  troops   (say, 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

eight  thousand)  there  can  be  as  Httle.  Our  offi- 
cers write  in  the  greatest  spirits,  and  are  confi- 
dent as  to  the  result,  and  hail  it  with  the  more 
pleasure  as  it  will  very  likely  lead  to  overtures 
of  peace.  The  Mexicans  were  equally  as  con- 
fident before  Palo  Alto  as  we  are  now,  and  we 
may  experience  as  sad  a  disaster.  Before  the 
Mexican  army  left  here  on  their  way  to  Mata- 
moras  they  were  so  confident  of  victory  that 
they  borrowed  money,  promising  to  return  horses, 
mules,  arms,  etc.,  to  be  taken  from  the  Ameri- 
can army, —  some  stipulating  that  the  horses 
should  be  American.  General  Taylor  has  with 
him  between  six  and  seven  thousand  men,  most 
of  them  regulars,  and  a  large  number  of  volun- 
teers here,  that  he  can  call  on  if  he  receives  any 
checks.  I  trust  this  will  not  be  the  case,  as  it 
would,  in  all  likelihood,  prolong  the  war,  of  which 
I  am  heartily  tired,  unless  I  can  have  more  of  a 
finger  in  it.  I  shall  give  you  the  result  as  soon 
as  possible  to  learn.  The  first  accounts  are  al- 
ways exaggerated,  but  I  shall  soon  know.  I  am 
rejoiced  to  hear  that  you  are  recovering  your 
health,  although  slowly ;  and  that  you  may  live 
for  many  years  to  be  a  blessing  to  your  children 
and  friends,  is  the  most  earnest  prayer  of  your 
Affectionate  son, 

John  Sedgwick. 

2T 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Reynosa,  Mexico,  September  25,  1846. 

My  dear  sister: 

I  was  in  hopes  by  this  time  to  have  something 
interesting  to  write  you,  but  must  disappoint 
you  again.  General  Taylor  is  in  Monterey, 
without  firing  a  shot.  The  enemy,  after  so  many 
orders  of  the  most  bravado  kind,  have  evacuated 
their  largest  city  this  side  of  the  mountain  to 
the  mercy  of  the  robbers,  as  they  call  us.  I  did 
not  think,  after  so  much  boasting,  they  would 
give  up  without  an  effort  to  redeem  the  trick 
lost  at  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma ;  but 
so  it  is,  and  we  are  now  in  possession  of  every 
place  of  any  importance  (except  Saltillo)  this 
side  of  the  mountains  that  divide  this  depart- 
ment from  Mexico  itself;  and  by  this  time  an- 
other division  of  the  army,  under  General  Wool, 
has  possession  of  Chihuahua,  and  still  another, 
under  General  Kearny,  of  Santa  Fe.  If  there 
is  any  truth  in  the  old  Spanish  proverb  that 
"  between  two  stools,  a  person  is  in  danger  of 
coming  to  the  ground,"  Mexico  is  in  a  bad  fix. 
We  have  been  prepared  here  for  an  attack  sev- 
eral days.  It  was  first  concerted  for  the  20th, 
but  they  did  not  get  ready,  and  then  fixed  yes- 
terday at  eleven  o'clock,  but  finally  concluded 
to  have  a  night  attack  last  night,  but  did  not 

22 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

make  it,  although  they  kept  us  under  arms  all 
night.  The  people  here  expected  it,  as  most  of 
them  that  are  able  have  left  town.  Others  came 
up  last  night  and  placed  themselves  under  our 
protection.  They  fear  their  own  soldiers  much 
more  than  they  do  our  own,  and  say,  if  the 
town  is  attacked,  it  will  only  be  for  plunder,  and 
instead  of  molesting  us  in  the  square,  they  will 
only  plunder  the  outskirts  of  the  town.  There 
are  plenty  of  friendly  Mexicans  here  to  warn  us 
in  time,  and  we  desire  nothing  better  than  the 
proposed  attack.  But  the  same  threats  have 
been  made  towards  Camargo,  Matamoras,  and 
other  places,  and  this  for  the  purpose  of  drawing 
off  some  of  General  Taylor's  forces;  but  they 
will  find  themselves  mistaken,  as  he  has  more 
men  than  he  knows  what  to  do  with.  I  still  in- 
dulge the  hope  that  the  war  will  be  closed  this 
winter,  and  I  shall  be  ordered  north  again,  but 
it  looks  rather  doubtful  now.  I  have  been  in 
excellent  health  since  I  have  been  here,  lost  a 
little  of  my  flesh  —  this  I  can  afford.  I  will  try 
and  write  a  short  letter  by  every  mail. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 


23 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Reynosa,  Mexico,  September  28,  1846. 

My  dear  sister : 

I  was  rather  premature  in  writing  you,  in  my 
last  letter,  that  the  army  had  taken  Monterey, 
without  firing  a  shot ;  but  as  it  was  currently  re- 
ported here,  and  generally  believed,  I  gave  it  to 
you  as  a  fact.  It  is  now,  however,  in  our  pos- 
session, but  after  a  hard  battle  of  four  days' 
length  and  very  severe  loss.  We  have  no  par- 
ticulars yet.  General  Taylor's  aid  passed  through 
here  yesterday,  on  his  way  to  Washington,  bearer 
of  despatches.  He  was  in  such  a  hurry  that  he 
could  give  us  but  a  few  words  ;  but  such  as  they 
were,  were  enough  to  cheer  the  heart  of  every 
American.  He  says  the  first  battles  were  no- 
thing when  compared  to  this.  The  loss  on  our 
part  was  great.  Thirteen  officers  killed,  fourteen 
wounded,  and  five  hundred  killed  and  wounded 
of  the  rank  and  file.  This  is  not  the  accurate 
loss  ;  it  may  be  more  or  less.  As  he  left  imme- 
diately after  the  battle,  he  only  knew  the  general 
result,  which  is  most  glorious  to  our  arms.  We 
are  waiting  most  anxiously  to  hear  more,  when 
I  will  write.  I  am  too  anxious  now  to  write 
more. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

John  Sedgwick. 
24 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 
Reynosa,  Mexico,  October  13,  1846. 

My  dear  sister : 

I  have  just  returned  from  a  tour  up  the  river 
to  Camargo,  having  been  absent  for  some  days, 
and  on  my  return  found  your  letter,  and  up  to 
this  time  I  think  I  have  received  all  of  yours 
and  father's.     I  saw  Lieutenant  Myers  at  Camar- 
go, who  told  me  of  his  visit  at  our  house.     You 
hkewise  mention  it  in  your  letter.      He  is  on  his 
way  to  Monterey,  to  join  the  army  in  the  field. 
I  did  not  mention  to  you  in  my  last  (in  conse- 
quence of  the  more  important  news  of  the  bat- 
tle) that,  for  some  days  previous  to  the  battle, 
we  were  besieged  here  by  some  three  or  four 
hundred  men,  and  every  moment  expecting  an 
attack ;  for  several  nights  we  were  kept  on  the 
alert.     Several  times  they  approached,  with  the 
hopes  of  surprising  us,  but  finding  us  on  our 
guard,  retreated.     Our  garrison  consisted  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  but  we  were  well  en- 
trenched, and  could  easily  have  driven  off  some 
two  or  three  times  our  number.     This  attack 
was  no  doubt  to  be  in  anticipation  of  the  victory 
to  be  gained  over  General  Taylor  at  Monterey. 
I  can  give  you  but  few  more  particulars  of  this 
battle  than  when  I  last  wrote.     The  battle  was 
very  obstinate,  and  very  bloody.     Our  loss  was 

25 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

five  hundred  and  sixty-one,  killed,  wounded,  and 
missing  —  probably  two  hundred  killed,  fourteen 
officers  killed,  and  one  died  since  of  his  wounds. 
I  wrote  you  the  number  was  ten  in  my  last.  The 
Mexican  loss  was  between  seven  and  twelve  hun- 
dred—  the  exact  number  cannot  be  ascertained. 
It  was  a  great  battle,  when  the  gallantry  and  ob- 
stinate courage  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  blood  showed 
itself,  overcoming  numbers,  position,  and  every- 
thing else.  On  the  morning  of  the  24th  the 
enemy  showed  a  white  flag  and  offered  terms  of 
capitulation  ;  after  modification,  these  were  ac- 
cepted. They  were  permitted  to  march  out  with 
their  small  arms,  and  six  pieces  of  artillery,  fif- 
teen rounds  of  ammunition  ;  to  retire  thirty  miles 
towards  Saltillo,  and  not  to  cross  a  line  drawn 
to  Tampico,  and  General  Taylor  not  to  advance 
beyond  this  line.  This  during  a  period  of  sixty 
days.  After  the  expiration  of  this  time,  if  ne- 
gotiations are  not  going  on,  each  party  was  left 
to  pursue  the  war.  Since  this  there  has  arrived 
from  Washington  a  special  messenger,  with  in- 
structions, but  what  they  were  no  one  knows. 
There  are  various  conjectures :  some  think  they 
are  pacific ;  others,  that  they  are  for  pushing  the 
war  with  vigor,  changing  the  base  of  operations 
to  Tampico  and  Vera  Cruz.  What  change  this 
victory  will  make,  if  any,  no  one  can  tell.      I 

26 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

hope  they  will  succeed  in  negotiating,  for  I  am 
tired  of  this  country.  I  long  to  be  luxuriating 
on  ice-creams  and  mint-juleps  in  Broadway.  I 
had  many  particulars  of  the  battle  from  an  eye- 
witness, a  dragoon  officer  who  had  nothing  to 
do.  He  saw  my  regiment  engaged,  the  first 
attack  that  was  made,  and  said  that  he  never  ex- 
pected to  see  such  another  sight.  They  marched 
up  to  within  musket-range  of  the  trench  that 
had  previously  been  made  by  the  battery,  as  if 
they  were  on  drill,  and  halted  for  the  signal  that 
was  to  be  made  (a  bomb  from  a  mortar)  for  the 
attack.  At  the  signal,  they  rushed  up  the  trench, 
and  within  four  minutes  all  was  still.  The  flag 
was  then  hurled  down,  and  the  stars  and  stripes 
went  up.  The  men  went  to  the  ramparts  and 
cheered.  This  was  returned  by  the  dragoons 
and  a  Texan  regiment  that  was  on  a  hill  that 
overlooked  them.  This  was  the  first  fort  that 
was  taken.  There  were  three  others  taken  by 
the  artillery  brigade,  without  any  loss  of  conse- 
quence (only  23  men,  I  think)  —  one  officer 
killed  and  two  wounded.  In  one  fort  more  than 
one  hundred  were  found  dead,  out  of  three  hun- 
dred garrison.  Our  loss  was  almost  all  in  a  part 
of  the  town  where  it  was  intended  to  make  a 
false  attack,  but  the  brigade  was  pushed  on  into 
the   streets   and  cut  to  pieces.     One  regiment 

27 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

brought  out  only  seventy-nine  men,  the  officers 
almost  all  lost.  The  Mexicans  expected  to  cut 
the  army  to  pieces ;  so  sure  of  it  were  they,  that 
they  made  arrangements  to  attack  all  the  towns 
in  turn.  But  it  has  proved  another  Palo  Alto 
to  them. 

My  love  to  all,  and  write  often  to  your 
Affectionate  brother, 

J.  S. 

Reynosa,  Mexico,  October  23,  1846. 

My  dear  father : 

I  am  about  to  leave  this  post,  to  join  the  first 
division  of  the  army  at  Monterey.  There  has 
been  no  change,  since  the  battle,  in  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  enemy.  The  special  messenger  of 
whom  I  wrote  brought  the  information  that 
Santa  Anna  had  refused  to  treat  till  the  meeting 
of  Congress  which  he  had  called  on  to  meet  the 
6th  of  December.  It  is  the  general  impression 
here  that  there  will  be  no  more  fighting,  and  that 
Santa  Anna  is  sincere  in  his  wish  for  peace,  but 
is  afraid  to  conclude  one  on  his  own  responsi- 
bility. What  change  the  capture  of  Monterey 
will  make  remains  to  be  seen.  The  battle  was 
not  so  disastrous  as  I  thought  when  I  wrote  to 
Emily  ;  instead  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  killed, 

28 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

wounded,  and  missing,  there  were  one  hundred 
and  twenty  killed  and  three  hundred  and  sixty 
wounded,  making  four  hundred  and  eighty  killed 
and  wounded, —  disastrous  enough,  certainly. 
Of  this  number  seventeen  were  officers :  one  for 
every  eight, —  a  greater  number  than  was  ever 
heard  of  before.  General  Ampudia  says  in  his 
proclamation  to  the  people  that  he  was  "  out  of 
ammunition  and  provisions,  and  that  the  Ameri- 
can army  was  innumerable — their  camp  extended 
nine  miles;  and  that,  out  of  compassion  to  the 
citizens,  he  capitulated."  Now  for  the  truth, 
as  it  was  told  me  by  a  major  of  the  ordnance, 
who  took  an  inventory  of  the  stores.  There  were 
more  than  eighteen  thousand  pounds  of  pow- 
der, two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  rounds  of 
cartridges,  several  thousand  pounds  of  lead,  and 
a  great  many  balls, —  enough  to  supply  our  army 
a  year.  Of  provision,  there  was  a  great  number 
of  cattle,  and  large  quantities  of  corn  —  the  only 
food  they  have.  And  as  to  numbers,  General 
Ampudia  marched  out  of  Monterey  with  more 
troops  than  General  Taylor  had  with  him.  As 
to  the  extent  of  the  camp  he  was  nearer  right, 
as  the  reserve  was  encamped  some  distance  off, 
and  was  not  brought  into  action.  He  says  also 
that  he  killed  fifteen  thousand  ;  this  he  has  pub- 
lished to  the  people,  and  two  thirds  are  ignorant 

29 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

enough  to  believe  it.  Their  national  vices  are 
lying  and  stealing.  They  will  steal  everything 
they  can  lay  their  hands  on,  and  lie  when  the 
truth  will  answer  better.  These  vices  they  al- 
most all  have ;  there  are  very  few  exceptions. 
Colonel  Taylor  (a  brother  of  the  General)  told 
us  here  that  if  we  had  possession  of  the  town, 
sixty  thousand  Mexicans  could  not  take  it; 
and  that  belief  is  held  by  every  officer  and 
soldier  in  the  army,  and  such  confidence  in  the 
soldiers  makes  them  irresistible.  There  is  no 
way  of  ascertaining  the  number  of  Mexicans 
killed ;  from  best  information  that  we  can  get, 
there  are  between  seven  and  ten  hundred,  but 
General  Taylor  will  not  report  so  high.  I  need 
not  tell  you  that  I  would  not  like  to  have  this 
seen  by  many,  as  it  looks  too  much  like  boasting, 
and  I  feel  myself  perhaps  too  much  interested 
to  be  unprejudiced.  The  country  is  becoming 
more  healthy  for  the  volunteers ;  they  are  be- 
coming more  acclimated  and  habituated  to  take 
care  of  themselves.  But  the  loss  of  life  has  been 
terrible ;  no  epidemic  ever  swept  off  so  great  a 
proportion  in  New  York.  In  some  regiments 
one  in  ten  have  died,  and  nearly  one  fourth  have 
been  sent  home  sick.  Many  have  died  of  home- 
sickness alone.  The  weather  is  becoming  quite 
cool,  but  it  makes  little  difference  with  the  vege- 

30 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

tation ;  they  raise  two  crops  of  everything  a 
year ;  they  plant  from  February  till  August,  and 
are  gathering  almost  every  month.  You  will  see 
planting  and  gathering  in  the  same  field.  I 
presume  in  ten  years  this  country  will  be  filled 
with  Americans,  and  then  there  will  be  more 
annexation.  California  is  sure  to  be  ours,  but 
it  will  all  eventually  come.  I  will  write  again 
from  Camargo  ;  after  that  you  may  not  hear  from 
me.  The  communication  is  not  regular  beyond 
Camargo,  except  for  despatches.  I  still  think 
that  the  war  will  be  over  this  winter,  and  that  I 
shall  see  the  north  early  next  summer;  but  in 
this  the  wish  may  generate  the  opinion.  I  trust, 
long  before  this,  you  have  been  restored  to  your 
usual  health ;  it  is  more  on  this  account  that  I 
desire  to  be  at  the  north,  to  be  near  you  if  any 
are  sick.  Give  my  love  to  all,  and  believe  me 
to  be,  as  ever, 

Your  affectionate  son, 

John  Sedgwick. 

Reynosa,  Mexico,  November  i,  1846. 

My  dear  sister : 

It  is  now  nearly  two  months  since  I  have  had 
a  letter  from  home,  yet  I  am  certain  you  have 
written  several  within  that  time,  and  that  they 

31 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

have  miscarried,  and  more  than  likely  some  of 
mine  have  shared  the  same  fate.  I  have  en- 
deavored to  write  home  as  often  as  every  week, 
even  if  I  had  nothing  to  write.  In  my  last  I 
wrote  that  we  were  daily  expecting  orders  to 
proceed  to  Monterey,  to  join  the  main  division 
of  the  army.  Since  then  the  orders  have  arrived, 
and  we  are  about  leaving,  probably  to-morrow. 
This  has  been  a  great  desire  within  me.  Ever 
since  I  have  been  here,  I  have  wanted  to  see  a 
large  army  in  the  field,  to  become  acquainted  with 
the  officers,  and  have  some  more  experience  in  my 
profession  than  can  be  acquired  elsewhere.  Not 
that  I  expect  to  reap  any  glory,  except  such  as 
will  be  attached  to  an  association  with  such  gal- 
lant fellows  as  our  officers  have  proved  them- 
selves to  be.  There  has  been  no  movement 
since  my  last  letter,  and  for  fear  you  did  not  re- 
ceive that,  I  will  just  mention  that  General  Tay- 
lor is  still  at  Monterey,  organizing  for  a  forward 
movement,  receiving  reinforcements,  supplies, 
etc.  The  battle  was  not  so  disastrous  as  we  had 
first  feared,  and  from  the  accounts  you  will  first 
get  in  the  papers,  but  sad  enough  at  the  best. 
There  were  only  one  hundred  and  twenty  killed 
and  three  hundred  and  sixty  wounded,  most  of 
them  slightly.  Many  think  that  twenty-five  will 
cover  the  deaths  of  those  dying  of  their  wounds. 

32 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

If  we  estimate  the  victory,  as  the  English  do, 
by  the  number  of  the  killed  and  wounded,  we 
cannot  call  it  a  great  one ;  but  if  we  estimate  by 
the  results  and  look  at  the  disparity  of  numbers 
and  their  entrenchments,  it  is  one  of  the  great- 
est victories  of  the  age.  There  were  many  in- 
cidents during  the  fight,  but  interesting  only  to 
those  acquainted  with  the  actors.  One  was 
told  by  a  Lieutenant  of  my  regiment,  who  was 
an  aid  there.  General  Taylor  had  advanced 
with  his  staff  too  far  into  the  city,  and  the  balls 
were  falling  very  thick  around  him.  He  was 
thumping  at  a  door  which  was  fastened  by  the 
persons  inside.  The  Lieutenant  suggested  he 
had  better  cross  over  the  street,  where  he  would 
be  under  shelter.  The  General  looked,  and 
seeing  a  soldier  passing,  said  to  him,  "  Bring  me 
an  axe.  I'll  see  if  these  Mexican  devils  won't 
open  the  door  when  I  order  them."  An  axe  was 
brought.  The  General  took  it  and  said,  "  Now 
if  you  don't  open  it,  I  will  break  it  down."  The 
door  was  opened,  and  they  found  it  a  large  rich 
store,  and  what  was  of  still  more  importance  to 
them,  a  large  table  set  out  with  refreshments 
ready  for  use.  These,  no  doubt,  were  intended 
for  a  very  different  purpose,  but  which  were 
diverted  by  the  chances  of  war.  Nobody  talks 
of  peace  now,  the  general  opinion  being  that  the 

33 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

war  will  last  for  months.  I  hope  not.  I  had 
indulged  the  hope  of  seeing  you  all  next  spring, 
and  trust  I  may  not  be  disappointed.  The 
weather  here  is  still  warm.  Vegetation  is  not 
suspended  at  any  time.  We  have  corn  ripe, 
green,  and  just  coming  out  of  the  ground,  and 
so  with  all  vegetables.  Plenty  of  large  ripe 
oranges,  figs,  limes  and  other  fruits,  but  no 
apples.  The  nights  are  cool  and  delicious, 
the  atmosphere  at  all  times  clear  and  pure, 
and  but  little  sickness  among  the  regular 
troops.  The  volunteers  have  suffered  a  great 
deal,  and  all  for  the  want  of  knowing  how  to 
take  care  of  themselves.  I  will  write  you  a  line 
from  Camargo.  Give  my  love  to  all  at  home, 
and  remembrance  to  those  enquiring,  from  your 

Affectionate  brother, 

John  Sedgwick. 


Reynosa,  Mexico,  November  ii,  1846. 

My  dear  father : 

I  have  just  received  your  letter  of  October 
13th,  written  the  day  of  the  receipt  of  the  taking 
of  Monterey  in  New  York.  When  I  wrote 
Emily  last,  we  had  been  ordered  to  join  General 
Taylor  ;  but  the  order  has  been  suspended  for  the 
present,  and  the  probability  is  that  we  shall  join 

34 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

a  division  to  act  against  Vera  Cruz  or  Tampico. 
They  do  not  appear  to  know  their  own  minds 
at  Washington,  from  the  number  of  orders  and 
counter-orders  they  are  continually  sending  out. 
The  first  order,  after  the  reception  of  the  news 
of  the  taking  of  Monterey,  was  to  push  the  war 
with  vigor.  On  the  heels  of  this  came  others 
to  act  entirely  on  the  defensive,  to  hold  all  the 
country  now  in  our  possession,  embracing  all  to 
the  Sierra  Madre.  This  much  we  know,  and  it 
is  believed  a  division  is  to  be  organized  to  act 
on  the  coast.  If  the  war  is  to  take  this  turn,  it 
probably  will  protract  it,  but  will  make  it  much 
less  expensive  for  the  United  States.  You  can- 
not imagine  how  disastrous  the  war  has  proved  to 
the  volunteers.  Many  regiments,  of  seven  or 
eight  hundred  strong,  have  lost  one  hundred  by 
deaths  and  hundreds  by  discharges,  not  half  of 
which  will  probably  ever  reach  home.  You  can 
hardly  believe  that  hundreds  have  died  with 
nostalgia  (homesickness),  yet  such  is  the  fact 
attested  by  many  surgeons.  On  the  contrary, 
the  regulars  are  as  healthy  as  if  they  were  at 
their  posts,  and  it  is  believed  by  all  that  the 
country  is  healthier  than  any  of  the  southern 
states.  The  reason  of  the  difference  between 
the  regulars  and  volunteers  is  that  the  latter 
know  nothing  about  taking  care  of  themselves, 
about  cooking,  change  of  diet,  change  of  habits, 

35 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

etc.;  while  the  regulars  make  themselves  as  com- 
fortable as  if  they  were  in  garrison.  This  year 
the  floods  have  destroyed  most  of  the  vegeta- 
bles and  much  of  the  cotton.  Fruits  are  abun- 
dant :  oranges,  figs,  limes,  apricots,  pomegran- 
ates —  two  or  three  crops  a  year.  Apples  and 
peaches  do  not  grow,  partly  because  they  do  not 
cultivate  them.  Everything  that  grows,  grows 
in  spite  of  the  people.  They  plant  their  corn 
or  cotton,  and  never  touch  it  again  till  ripe. 
You  will  see  corn  green  and  ripe  in  the  same 
field,  and  they  say  you  cannot  exhaust  the  land. 
Our  Consul  told  me,  pointing  to  a  piece  of 
ground,  that  it  had  raised  two  crops  of  corn  since 
he  had  known  it,  some  fifteen  years,  and  the 
land  appeared  now  as  good  as  ever.  It  wants 
nothing  but  the  Anglo-Saxon  here  to  make  it 
the  finest  country  in  the  world,  and  it  is  filling 
up.  Matamoras  is  filled  with  Americans,  and 
they  will  never  leave  it.  The  traffic  is  almost 
entirely  with  horses  and  mules.  These  can  be 
raised  without  trouble,  and  it  is  not  unusual  for 
one  man  to  own  five  or  six  thousand  horses, 
worth  from  five  to  twenty-five  dollars ;  mules, 
twelve  or  fifteen.  The  horses  are  small  and 
worthless  for  American  use,  yet  the  Mexicans 
are  the  best  riders,  and  ride  more  than  any  other 
nation  in  the  world,  and  take  less  pride  in  their 

36 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

horses.  The  natives  have  no  religion  ;  it  is  a 
mixture  of  Indian  idolatry  and  superstition  with 
the  Catholic.  All  their  ceremonies  are  dif- 
ferent in  every  particular  from  the  Catholic, 
which  is  the  only  religion  tolerated.  Many 
of  the  ceremonies  are  entirely  Indian  in  their 
character ;  their  feasts  and  rites  are  the  same. 
The  priests  that  come  from  the  States  say  they 
could  not  recognize  the  Catholic  religion  in  the 
mummeries  practised  here  ;  and  their  moral  char- 
acter is  quite  on  a  par  with  their  religious  deg- 
radation, but  their  military  qualifications  and 
courage  have  been  greatly  underrated.  All  here 
say  that  the  rank  and  file  are  of  superior  mate- 
rial, and  only  want  educated  officers  to  lead  them, 
and  they  could  cope  with  any  troops  in  the 
world.  I  have  filled  this  almost  entirely  with 
the  Mexicans,  and  I  can  hardly  believe  it  will 
prove  interesting  to  you,  yet  I  have  nothing 
else.  Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  s. 

Reynosa,  Mexico,  November  23d,  1846. 

My  dear  sister: 

I  have  just  received  father's  letter  of  2 2d 
ultimo,  and  yours  of  the  24th,  and  the  same  mail 
brought  a  note  saying  that  I  had  several  letters 

37 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

at  Monterey,  probably  some  of  yours  amongst 
them.  I  wrote  you  on  the  27th  of  September, 
giving  such  an  account  of  the  battle  as  I  had  then 
received.  Since  then  I  have  sent  you  such  inci- 
dents as  I  could  rely  on,  and  as  I  thought  would 
be  interesting  to  you.  To  account  for  the  let- 
ter I  wrote  on  the  24th  September,  viz.:  "  that 
we  had  entered  Monterey  without  firing  a  shot," 

arose  thus  :    General  Worth  left  S ,  with  his 

division,  two  days  before  General  Taylor,  and  en- 
camped within  four  miles  of  the  city  of  Monterey, 

waiting  the  arrival  of  General  T .    From  this 

circumstance  arose  the  report,  which  we  believed 
was  true,  that  he  had  entered  the  city.  If  you 
have  received  my  later  letters,  you  will  see  that 
the  loss  of  life  has  not  been  so  great  as  was  at 
first  supposed  and  is  now  going  the  rounds  of 
the  papers.  Four  hundred  and  eighty  was  the 
total  number  killed  and  wounded,  and  it  is  be- 
lieved that  two  hundred  and  forty  will  cover  the 
number  killed, —  a  great  loss  truly,  but  this  is 
small  when  compared  to  the  loss  sustained  by 
the  volunteers.  One  man  in  every  ten  has  died, 
three  have  gone  home  sick,  one  half  of  these 
will  .probably  never  reach  there,  two  of  those 
left  are  on  the  sick  report,  unable  to  do  any  duty, 
making  six  men,  out  of  ten,  a  total  loss  to  the 
service.    And  not  one  word  can  be  said  in  favor 

38 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

of  those  left;  they  certainly  did  not  come  up  to 
the  scratch  at  Monterey.  There  are  exceptions 
to  this  :  the  Texans  fought  well,  and  others,  after 
they  got  in  where  they  could  not  get  out,  did 
well.  One  regiment  of  regulars  is  worth  three 
of  volunteers,  and  this  will  be  acknowledged  ex- 
cept by  those  politically  infatuated.  Mr.  Polk,  in 
parting  with  Colonel  Watson  and  his  Baltimore 
regiment,  is  reported  to  have  said,  "  Remember 
that  you  are  not  the  hirelings  of  Government,  but 
brave  defenders,  ready  to  step  into  the  trench," 
etc.  And  now  the  papers  say  that  the  brave 
Watson  was  killed  fifty  yards  in  advance  of  his 
men,  which  was  true  ;  but  they  might  have  added 
that  his  men  broke  and  ran  and  left  him,  and, 
with  few  exceptions,  did  not  again  get  into  the 
battle.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  such  defenders 
will  be  kept  to  protect  Washington,  and  that 
they  may  be  as  successful  as  they  were  in  the 
last  war.  You  have  probably  heard  of  the  tak- 
ing of  Tampico  by  the  navy.  They  have  re- 
quested a  force  of  five  hundred  men  or  more  to 
garrison  it,  and  there  is  about  this  force  available 
here.  There  is  a  prospect  of  our  going  there.  I 
had  rather  join  General  Taylor,  but  I  can  have 
no  choice  —  or,  rather,  I  will  not  be  consulted.  I 
long  for  this  war  to  be  over,  to  go  back  to  the 
North  ;   yet  I  see  less  prospect  of  it  than  two 

39 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

months  ago.  The  people  are  too  well  satisfied 
with  the  treatment  they  have  received  to  wish 
for  such  peace  as  they  have  had  with  their  own 
Government ;  and  if  it  were  possible  to  satisfy 
them  that  they  would  be  protected  in  their  re- 
ligion, I  think  they  would  gladly  embrace  the 
change.  Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  S. 

Reynosa,  Mexico,  November  30,  1846. 

My  dear  father : 

Since  I  wrote  you  last  we  have  received  orders 
to  hold  ourselves  in  readiness  to  proceed  to 
Tampico.  Consequently,  we  expect  to  move  in 
the  first  boat  to  the  mouth  of  the  river ;  from 
there,  in  a  larger  boat,  to  Tampico.  Appear- 
ances indicate  that  a  large  force  is  to  be  assem- 
bled at  that  point  to  operate  either  against 
Mexico  or  San  Luis  Potosi.  About  one  thou- 
sand have  already  embarked,  a  column  of  four 
or  five  regiments  go  from  Matamoras,  another 
of  about  the  same  number  from  Camargo,  and 
General  Taylor  takes  with  him  such  troops  as  he 
can  spare,  after  leaving  a  sufficient  force  at  Sal- 
tillo  and  Monterey,  united  with  General  Wool's 
command.  This  is  the  present  plan,  but  may 
be  altered  by  circumstances,  or  may  be  changed 

40 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

at  Washington.  General  Worth  remains  at  Sal- 
tillo  with  his  brigade,  the  best  troops  in  the 
service,  because  all  regulars  and  have  been  thor- 
oughly tried.  I  think  it  is  the  impression  at 
Washington  that  propositions  for  peace  will  be 
received  from  Mexico  soon  after  the  meeting 
of  their  Congress  ;  this  is  now  close  at  hand,  and 
we  shall  see.  This,  however,  on  my  part  is  but 
mere  conjecture ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  we  may 
have  a  long  and  disastrous  war.  Disastrous  it  will 
be,  even  if  there  is  no  fighting,  for  the  climate 
and  change  of  habit  of  our  volunteers  will  show 
a  frightful  chasm  in  their  ranks.  But  I  still  en- 
courage the  hope  that  I  shall  see  the  North  next 
summer.  Tampico  lies  within  the  tropics,  and, 
of  course,  we  shall  have  all  the  fruits  that  grow, 
many  of  which  do  not  grow  here.  Oranges  are 
abundant  here,  and  the  largest  and  finest  you 
ever  saw.  Those  that  you  get  north  are  picked 
when  young,  and  lose  as  much  by  it  as  an  apple 
does.  Figs  and  pomegranates  grow  very  fine ; 
in  addition  to  these,  they  have  at  Tampico  dates, 
banana,  plaintain,  cocoa,  etc.  Since  I  have  com- 
menced this  a  mail  has  arrived  bringing  papers, 
but  no  letters — a  great  disappointment,  as  I 
looked  for  a  letter  in  every  mail.  Things  look 
bad  for  the  Loco  Foco's,  and  I  cannot  account 
for  it,  unless  it  is  the  voters  are  out  here  ;  but 

41 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

things  looked  worse  in  forty-four,  and  I  do  not 
despair.  The  cause  of  the  people  will  eventu- 
ally triumph.  The  "  Litchfield  Enquirer  "  of 
the  5th  inst.  has  exaggerated  the  losses  of  the 
battle  at  Monterey  very  much.  All  the  letters 
published,  with  few  exceptions,  come  from  those 
that  know  nothing  about  it,  generally  from  those 
that  could  not  be  found  during  the  fight.  The 
exact  number  of  killed  and  wounded  is  four 
hundred  and  eighty,  but  this  is  a  small  number 
when  compared  to  the  list  of  ordinary  deaths.  I 
have  received  but  one  short  letter  from  Philo 
since  I  have  been  here  ;  I  have  written  him  two 
or  three  times.  I  know  that  we  both  are  bad 
correspondents,  but,  I  trust,  do  not  love  each 
other  the  less.  I  have  endeavored  to  write  home 
once  a  week  because  I  hoped  that  you  would  be 
anxious  to  know  that  I  was  well,  if  nothing  more. 
I  received  your  letter  of  October  24th,  Emily's 
of  22d,  both  of  which  I  have  answered.  I  will 
endeavor  to  write  again  before  I  leave  the  river, 
or,  at  all  events,  as  soon  as  I  arrive  at  Tampico. 
In  haste,  Your  affectionate  son, 

John  Sedgwick. 


42 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Camargo,  Mexico,  December  12,  1846. 

My  dear  sister : 

When  I  wrote  you  last  I  was  expecting  every 
day  to  go  to  Tampico,  as  we  had  orders  to  pro- 
ceed there  in  the  first  boat ;  but  the  first 
boat  brought  re-orders  to  come  to  this  place, 
but  where  we  are  to  go,  and  when,  is  more 
than  I  can  tell.  I  may  have  told  you  Ca- 
margo is  on  a  branch  of  the  Rio  Grande 
called  the  San  Juan  (St.  John),  about  six  miles 
from  its  mouth,  and  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  from  Reinosa,  and  is  the  dirtiest  place  in 
all  Mexico.  You  can  imagine  something  of  the 
filth  when  I  tell  you  that  the  supplies  for  the 
whole  army  pass  through  here,  and  are  all  over- 
hauled, and  no  small  quantity  found  decayed. 
This  employs  some  five  or  six  hundred  men, 
and  the  river  is  not  large  enough  to  carry  off 
the  damaged  matter.  Add  to  this  the  dust,  which 
is  about  six  inches  in  depth  (and  a  little  deeper 
around  my  tent),  with  an  extra  number  of  wag- 
gons continually  driving  about  it, —  imagine  all 
this,  and  you  have  some  idea  of  my  sufferings  — 
or,as  somebody  said,  "Our  sufferings  is  in-tents." 
I  was  in  hopes  of  going  to  Tampico  to  see  more 
active  service,  if  there  is  to  be  more,  but  this 
for  the  present  is  denied ;  but  unless  a  speedy 

43 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

peace  is  made,  I  shall  yet  have  my  share.  We 
have  had  no  mail  for  more  than  two  weeks,  but 
are  expecting  one  daily,  as  we  have  heard  of  the 
arrival  of  a  boat  at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Al- 
though we  have  no  magnetic  telegraph  here,  we 
always  hear  of  the  arrival  of  a  boat  some  two  or 
three  days  before  the  mail.  This  we  look  upon 
as  an  era,  for  besides  hearing  from  home,  we  get 
all  the  news  of  the  campaign,  of  which  we  would 
remain  in  ignorance  were  it  not  for  the  papers. 
These  are  read  for  their  extravagance,  as  no  one 
acquainted  with  the  facts  ever  thinks  of  pubHsh- 
ing  them,  or  looking  there  for  them.  Yet  they 
are  devoured  to  be  laughed  at ;  when  some  poor 
devil  is  found  as  the  author,  that  is  an  end  of 
him  —  he  can't  stand  the  ridicule  that  is  heaped 
upon  him.  The  weather  is  very  warm  in  the 
daytime,  the  nights  cool,  but  no  frost,  no  rain 
for  three  months,  which  accounts  for  all  the  dust 
that  I  mentioned.  The  dews  are  very  heavy 
—  so  much  so  that  you  think  there  has  been 
a  shower  when  you  rise  in  the  morning.  The 
main  reliance  for  vegetation  is  the  dew,  as  fre- 
quently for  months  they  have  no  rain.  This  is 
more  particularly  the  case  as  you  proceed  to- 
wards the  Pacific  in  this  latitude.  But  as  you 
proceed  south  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  you 

44 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

come  to  a  chain  of  mountains  called  the  Sierra 
Madre,  whose  climate  assimilates  to  our  own. 
They  raise  grain,  apples,  peaches,  etc.  Mon- 
terey lies  at  the  base,  and  from  the  top  you  can 
look  down  and  see  showers  pouring  down  upon 
the  city  copiously  whilst  you  are  far  above  them. 
Here  you  find  springs  boiling  up,  and  streams 
like  our  own  pouring  down  the  sides  of  the 
mountain,  and  here  is  ice.  This  chain  runs  from 
Tampico  to  Saltillo,  and  on,  I  believe,  to  the  Pa- 
cific, and  there  is  no  crossing  except  through  the 
gorges  ;  one  is  at  Tampico  around  the  base,  one 
at  Victoria  for  mules  only,  and  one  at  Monterey. 
Transportation  is  almost  entirely  by  mules,  fre- 
quently in  droves  of  five  hundred,  carrying 
about  three  hundred  pounds.  They  have  no 
waggons,  but  a  sort  of  cart  drawn  by  oxen 
yoked  by  the  horns  as  you  have  seen  represented 
as  the  custom  in  Spain.  The  absurdities  of  the 
old  country  are  all  they  have  retained  except 
the  religion,  and  that  is  so  mixed  up  with  In- 
dian superstition  that  it  has  lost  its  character  of 
Catholicism.  Our  Catholics  will  not  acknow- 
ledge it  as  their  religion,  but  as  you  get  into  the 
interior  I  suppose  it  approaches  nearer  to  it ;  at 
all  events,  it  is  under  the  sway  of  the  Pope.  I 
have  had  no  letter  from  home  for  two  months ; 

45 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

I  hope  mine  go  more  regular.     I  hear  of  two  or 
three   for  me  at  Monterey.    Write  often,  don't 
be  discouraged,  and  beheve  me,  as  ever, 
Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Camargo,  Mexico,  December  23,  1846. 

My  dear  father : 

After  being  without  a  mail  for  five  weeks, 
last  night  we  received  one,  and  after  waiting 
till  thirty  bushels  of  letters  and  papers  were 
assorted  I  found  a  letter  from  home,  and  after 
reading  it  nearly  through,  I  looked  at  the  date 
and  found  it  was  written  the  19th  of  August,  hav- 
ing received  two  or  three  later.  It  is  now  more 
than  six  weeks  without  a  word  from  home,  yet 
I  know  you  write  often,  and  this  is  consolation. 
We  have  had  a  good  deal  of  excitement  for  the 
last  three  days  from  apprehension  for  the  safety 
of  General  Worth  and  his  command.  To  give 
you  a  slight  idea  of  the  position  of  troops  since 
the  battle  of  Monterey,  and  movements  now  tak- 
ing place  :  General  Worth  had  gone  to  Saltillo 
with  his  brigade,  numbering  twelve  hundred  men. 
This,  you  will  recollect,  is  seventy  miles  in  ad- 
vance of  Monterey.  General  Wool  had  taken 
a  position  at  Parras,  sixty  miles  in  advance  of 

46 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Saltillo  ;  his  force  is  about  twenty-three  hundred 
men.    General  Taylor,  after  leaving  a  small  force 
at  Monterey,  left  there  on  the  15th  inst.,  with 
about  three  thousand  men,  to  proceed  to  Vic- 
toria.   Following  the  chain  of  mountains  here,  he 
was  to  have  been  met  by  General  Patterson  with 
his  division  from  Matamoras,  numbering  some- 
where about  twenty-five  hundred  ;  and,  after  leav- 
ing a  sufficient   number   to   guard  the   pass    of 
Victoria,  the  rest  were    to    march  to   Tampico. 
Two  days'  march  from  Monterey  would  bring 
General  Taylor  to  Montemorelos,  where  there 
was  a  depot  with  one  regiment  of  regulars  and 
two  or  three  companies  of  volunteers.     Between 
this  place  and   Monterey  was  stationed  a  regi- 
ment of  volunteers  ;  at  this  place,  one  brigade  of 
volunteers  consisting  of  three  regiments,  num- 
bering about  sixteen  hundred,  and  one  mounted 
regiment  about  five  hundred ;    these,  with  two 
companies  of  regular  dragoons,  were  the  dispos- 
able force  at  this  place,  leaving  as  a  guard  here 
one  company  dragoons,  one  artillery  (mine),  and 
a  regiment  of  volunteers.     This  was  the  position 
of  the  troops  on  the  1 5th,  the  day  General  Taylor 
was  to  leave  Monterey.    Early  on  the  morning  of 
the  19th  an  express  arrived  here  from  General 
Worth,  directing  all  the  troops  to  move  up  to 
his  assistance  with  the  upmost  dispatch.   He  had 

47 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

information  of  the  advance  of  Santa  Anna  with 
a  large  army,  variously  estimated  at  from  twelve 
to  thirty  thousand  men,  and  within  twenty 
leagues  of  him,  endeavoring  to  come  between 
General  Wool  and  himself.  He  immediately 
dispatched  an  express  to  General  Wool  to  join 
him,  also  to  General  Taylor  and  this  place.  On 
the  arrival  of  the  express  at  Monterey,  all  the 
troops  at  that  place  made  forced  marches  to 
join  him.  General  Taylor  had  left  on  the  15th, 
and  this  was  the  19th,  consequently  he  could 
not  reach  Saltillo  before  the  22d.  The  regi- 
ment stationed  between  this  place  and  Monterey 
would  reach  there  about  the  same  time,  and 
probably  General  Wool's  army  a  little  sooner. 
This  would  make  a  force  of  seven  thousand  five 
hundred  if  he  is  not  attacked  before  the  226., 
and  if  not  before  the  24th  the  brigade  from  this 
place  will  have  reached  there,  increasing  it 
two  thousand.  With  this  force  he  could  repel 
any  attack  made  on  him,  but  everybody  feels 
that  he  is  in  the  most  dangerous  position — more 
so  than  General  Taylor  was  before  the  battles  of 
the  8th  and  9th.  Yet  I  have  great  faith  in 
General  Worth  and  his  troops ;  he  has  the  best 
troops  in  the  service,  but  he  may  be  over- 
powered. Some  think  he  will  fall  back  to  the 
pass,  and  eventually  to  Monterey,  to  give  time 

48 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

for  all  his  troops  to  join  him.  I  think  he  will 
fight  at  Saltillo,  and  the  next  news  will  be  of  a 
most  bloody  battle.  What  the  result  will  be,  I 
dare  not  predict.  It  was  a  great  mistake  to  divide 
our  troops  up,  as  has  been  done;  but  this  plan 
was  matured  at  Washington  and  must  be  right. 
Nine  more  regiments  have  been  ordered  out, 
so  I  conclude  there  is  no  prospect  of  an  end  to 
the  war  at  present.  I  was  in  hopes  of  seeing 
home  early  in  the  spring,  but  they  begin  to  dissi- 
pate. There  is  a  great  deal  of  sickness  among 
the  volunteers,  but  very  little  among  the  reg- 
ulars. I  have  had  uncommonly  good  health 
since  I  have  been  here.  There  is  no  news  now 
but  General  Worth's  dangerous  position.  Sev- 
eral couriers  have  gone  urging  on  the  troops  to 
his  assistance.  I  will  give  you  the  earliest  news 
that  can  be  relied  on.  I  have  expected  to  go  to 
Tampico,  and  still  hope  to  leave  this  place.  I 
had  forgotten  to  mention  that  General  Patter- 
son's command  had  not  been  changed. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 


49 


1 847 


Camargo,  Mexico,  January  i,  1847. 

My  dear  father : 

When  I  wrote  last,  20th  of  last  month,  there 
was  every  probability  that  General  Worth  had 
been  or  soon  would  be  attacked  by  the  Mexican 
army,. but  it  did  not  turn  out  so.  The  General 
was  right  in  everything  but  the  numbers.  It 
proved  to  be  a  reconnoitering  division  of  some 
three  or  four  thousand  men,  of  which  General 
Taylor  had  perfect  knowledge,  but  General 
Worth  brought  him  back  by  what  he  considered 
better  information.  All  the  movements  took 
place  as  I  wrote  you,  and  almost  the  whole 
army  were  concentrated  there  (Saltillo)  for  a  few 
days.  We  were  in  great  alarm  here  at  the  time, 
and    put    up    additional    works,  mustering    the 

50 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

citizens,  etc.,  ready  to  meet  them  should  they 
undertake  to  take  the  place,  as  they  undoubt- 
edly would  if  they  had  met  with  the  least 
success.  A  mail  arrived  last  night,  but  I  did 
not  get  a  letter.  It  has  now  been  nearly  three 
months  since  I  have  had  one,  and  I  do  not 
know  what  has  become  of  them.  I  am  going 
in  the  first  boat  to  Tampico  ;  probably  shall  be 
there  in  about  fifteen  days.  General  Scott  has 
arrived  here,  with,  it  is  understood,  all  the 
powers  the  President  can  confer  on  him,  both 
diplomatic  and  military.  This,  it  is  hoped,  will 
have  a  happy  effect  upon  the  Mexican  Govern- 
ment and  bring  about  a  speedy  peace.  This, 
for  one,  I  heartily  wish.  I  am  tired  of  this  vaga- 
bond sort  of  life  ;  't  is  not  so  pleasant  as  playing 
the  soldier  in  New  York.  General  Scott  has 
gone  to  Tampico,  and  will  probably  be  there 
when  we  arrive.  Then  I  may  hear  something 
more  definitely  about  the  prospect  of  remaining 
here  another  year.  We  have  just  received  the 
President's  message,  but  none  of  the  reports. 
We  are  looking  with  some  anxiety  for  Mr. 
Marcy's,  to  see  what  he  has  recommended  for 
the  army. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 


51 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Mouth   Rio  Grande,  Mexico, 

January  15,  1847. 
My  dear  sister : 

On  leaving  Camargo  on  the  3d  inst.,  I 
received  your  letter  of  November  loth,  the 
first  one  that  I  have  had  for  nearly  six  weeks. 
I  had  one  from  Eliza  and  Henry  at  the  same 
time ;  by  these  I  learned  that  they  had  written 
several  times  before,  but  which  I  have  not 
received.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  know  that  you 
are  not  forgotten  by  your  friends,  even  if  you 
do  not  have  the  satisfaction  of  receiving  their 
letters  ;  yet  this  is  one  of  the  cases  where  the  will 
will  not  answer  as  well  as  the  deed.  General 
Scott  arrived  at  Camargo  on  the  2d  inst.;  at  the 
time  we  were  embarked  for  Tampico,  but  he 
detained  us  one  day  to  escort  him.  We  are  now 
waiting  for  him  at  this  place,  and  probably  shall 
not  sail  for  two  weeks.  Troops  are  arriving 
daily  and  organizing  here  and  at  Tampico  for 
some  expedition,  probably  Vera  Cruz.  Every- 
thing indicates  that  it  is  to  be  a  vigorous  one  ; 
no  expense  has  been  spared  in  perfecting  its 
organization.  More  than  fifty  staff  officers 
have  been  sent,  and  those  of  the  highest  rank,  to 
complete  the  general's  staff.  The  most  perfect 
siege-train  ever  seen  in  our  country  has  arrived, 
and  a  corps  of  rocketeers  and  mountain  howitzers. 

52 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

It  now  seems  that  the  Government  has  at  last 
determined  to  bring  Mexico  to  her  senses  ;  and 
if  these  exertions  had  been  made  early  in  the 
fall,  it  is  more  than  likely  that  the  campaign 
would  have  closed  the  war.  Everything  has 
been  done,  with  the  limited  means  furnished 
General  Taylor,  the  most  sanguine  could  expect, 
but  they  have  been  nothing  like  proportionate 
to  the  object  to  be  attained.  No  one,  of  course, 
knows  the  General's  plan  of  operation  ;  but  it  is 
believed,  from  movements  of  troops  and  other 
indications,  that  the  expedition  is  to  be  against 
the  city  of  Vera  Cruz.  I  think  that  all  the 
available  troops  are  to  be  concentrated  here  and 
at  Tampico  and  embarked  from  the  nearest 
point  to  Vera  Cruz  practicable  and  take  the 
city.  The  fortification  can  only  be  taken  by 
cutting  off  the  supplies  ;  this  is  done  by  taking 
the  city,  cutting  off  the  supplies  by  land  and  the 
navy  by  water.  The  best  engineers  think  it 
impossible  to  reduce  it  by  water ;  all  this  of 
course  is  mere  conjecture.  The  Mexicans  all 
along  the  river  have  a  report  that  the  Mexi- 
can Congress  are  disposed  for  peace,  and  have 
opened  negotiations ;  I  pray  that  it  may  be  so, 
but  do  not  place  any  reliance  upon  it.  I  have 
suffered  more  with  the  cold  since  I  have  been 
here  than  I  ever  did  at  the  North.      Last  week 

S3 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

we  had  what  the  Mexicans  call  a  "  norther " 
that  lasted  two  days  ;  it  was  wet,  and  the  rain 
froze  as  fast  as  it  fell ;  our  tent  was  one  sheet  of 
ice,  and  by  placing  a  small  pan  of  coals  in  it  and 
sitting  on  it  you  could  keep  from  freezing,  but 
if  you  attempted  to  warm  the  tent  the  ice  thawed 
and  came  dripping  through,  making  it  more  un- 
comfortable than  the  cold.  The  third  day  after 
this  was  so  warm  that  we  all  sat  outside  of  our 
tents  with  our  coats  off.  The  night  that  it  came 
on  I  went  to  bed  without  any  covering,  and  in 
an  hour's  time  I  could  not  get  enough  to  keep 
me  from  suffering ;  this  is  the  character  of  the 
weather  at  this  place.  In  the  interior,  as  the 
wind  sweeps  over  the  warm  sand  it  becomes 
warm,  and  as  far  as  I  have  seen  seldom  makes 
ice  ;  still  farther,  as  you  approach  the  mountains 
the  climate  partakes  of  that  of  Virginia.  It 
hardly  seems  credible  that  this  river  which  you 
can  easily  throw  a  stone  over  rises  in  the  latitude 
of  Boston.  I  have  been  up  it  four  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  in  a  steamboat,  and  boats  have  gone 
three  hundred  farther,  and  it  has  a  current  of 
from  four  to  six  miles  an  hour.  I  miss  very 
much  the  proceedings  of  Congress.  We  have 
as  yet  only  the  President's  message  and  rumors 
of  some  increase  of  the  army,  just  enough  to 
make  us  uneasy,  and  not  enough  to  satisfy  curi- 

54 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

osity.  I  had  some  idea  of  making  an  effort  to 
push  for  one  of  the  new  regiments,  but  I  have 
come  to  the  conclusion  not  to  do  it.  If  a  re- 
duction takes  place  after  the  war,  it  must  be  by 
disbanding  these  regiments,  and  I  prefer  taking 
my  chance  with  my  own  regiment,  hoping  some 
more  ambitious  officer  above  me  may  get  it, 
so  as  to  place  me  near  a  captaincy.  The  sun 
shines  bright  to-day,  and  it  is  as  warm  as  Sep- 
tember with  you.  In  about  a  week  we  may  ex- 
pect another  "  norther,"  and  then  I  shall  talk 
as  much  about  leaving  this  vile  place  as  I  now 
do  about  promotion.  With  such  ups  and  downs, 
"  who  would  not  be  a  soldier  ?  " 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Mouth  Rio  Grande,  Mexico, 

January  20,  1847. 
My  dear  sister : 

You  will  perceive  that  I  am  still  at  this  place, 
although  when  I  wrote  last  I  expected  to  have 
left  before  this.  The  whole  regular  force  is  en- 
camped near  here,  and  the  old  saw,  "  large  bodies 
move  slowly,"  is  fully  exemplified.  Every- 
thing indicates  that  we  are  to  have  a  sharp  and 
perhaps  bloody  campaign.  It  is  more  than 
probable  that  it  is  to  be  directed  against  Vera 

55 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Cruz.  Who  can  tell  or  foresee  the  result  ?  I 
have  no  evil  forebodings — on  the  contrary,  feel 
that  I  shall  see  you  all  again  ;  but  our  destiny  is 
in  the  hands  of  the  All-Powerful,  and  if  I  fall, 
I  hope  I  shall  fall  like  a  soldier.  A  few  days 
will  decide  the  campaign.  The  transports  are 
waiting  to  take  the  troops  off,  and  in  ten  days 
we  shall  move.  I  will  write  again  soon — no  time 
or  convenience  now. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  S. 

Steamer  Massachusetts,  off  Rio  Grande, 

February  9,  1847. 
My  dear  father : 

You  will  perceive  that  I  am  still  here  where 
I  last  wrote  you,  with  not  much  prospect  of 
leaving  soon.  The  troops  are  slowly  embark- 
ing, but  the  means  and  the  unsheltered  coast 
present  great  obstacles  to  their  rapidity.  More 
than  a  thousand  horses  are  to  go  with  forage 
and  water,  and  every  horse  has  first  to  be 
slung  into  a  lighter  and  from  that  into  the  ves- 
sel in  which  he  is  to  go,  and  it  is  in  pleasant 
weather  only  that  these  lighters  can  proceed 
outside  the  breakers.  General  Scott  is  growing 
impatient  to  be  off,  and  hurrying  everybody, 
but  time  and  tide  will  not  be  hurried.     This  is 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

to  be  a  most  magnificent  expedition  ;  no  expense 
has  been  spared  in  getting  it  up  ;  every  contin- 
gency that  it  was  possible  to  foresee  has  been 
guarded  against.  Yet  many  predict  its  want  of 
success,  A  failure  it  cannot  be,  as  the  means 
furnished  can  be  turned  to  other  accounts. 
Every  vessel  brings  officers,  men,  ammunition, 
stores,  etc.  Yesterday  the  steamer  Edith  passed 
within  a  few  yards  of  us,  so  near  that  we  rec- 
ognized and  spoke  to  Colonel  Bankhead  and 
Lieutenant  Nichols,  who  have  just  arrived  from 
New  York.  Lieutenant  Nichols  came  out  in 
the  same  vessel  that  I  did  last  spring,  was  at 
Monterey,  and  afterwards  was  appointed  adju- 
tant of  the  regiment  and  joined  headquarters  at 
New  York,  and  is  now  ordered  out  the  second 
time.  He  was  transferred  from  my  company 
when  we  left  New  York  to  equalize  the  officers 
in  the  companies. 

This  vessel  (when  she  sails)  goes  to  Tampico. 
The  others  rendezvous  behind  Lobos  Island, 
sixty  miles  south,  and  from  thence  to  Vera  Cruz 
with  the  whole  regular  force  ;  some  three  or  four 
volunteer  regiments  now  here  and  five  of  the 
six  regiments  are  to  go  there,  viz. :  two  regi- 
ments. New  York,  Massachusetts,  Pennsylvania, 
and  South   Carolina.     Many  of  them  have  al- 

57 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

ready  proceeded  to  their  place  of  rendezvous. 
The  captain  of  the  vessel  tells  us  that  we  have 
seen  nothing  to  compare  with  the  fruits  of  Tam- 
pico  and  its  vicinity,  and  from  his  description  I 
should  think  not,  although  I  have  seen  some 
and  could  tell  stories  that  would  seem  incred- 
ible. One  is,  that  cotton  grows  on  the  banks 
of  this  river,  after  planting,  for  three  years, 
producing  every  year.  In  the  States  it  requires 
as  much  cultivation  as  corn,  and  never  produces 
but  once,  the  first  winter  killing  the  stalks.  And 
it  is  so  with  the  fruits,  many  kinds  producing 
two  and  three  crops  in  a  year.  The  New  Or- 
leans papers  are  filled  with  the  outrages  of  the 
volunteers,  and  the  governor  has  called  out 
the  militia  to  preserve  order,  and  has  requested 
Government  not  to  send  any  more  troops 
through  there.  If  such  has  been  the  conduct  of 
men  who  sacrifice  their  lives  for  their  country 
before  they  reach  the  enemy's  ground,  what  can 
be  expected  from  them  when  here  ?  What  has 
already  happened  ?  Rape,  plunder,  murder, 
and  everything  else  abominable  ;  and  these  are 
the  men  who  decry  a  standing  army  as  being 
/  dangerous  to  the  liberties  of  the  people.     They 

ought  to  be  dangerous  to  such  liberties.  I  am 
no  longer  a  democrat.  I  go  for  an  empire, 
governed  by  a  strong  hand,  reserving  the  right 

58 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

of  revolutionizing — when  opposition  becomes 
too  hard.  But  opposition  is  better  than  the 
liberties  we  see  and  read  of.  I  will  send  again 
from  Tampico.  In  a  month  you  will  hear  of 
great  things,  either  a  retreat  or  a  glorious  vic- 
tory. 

Remember  me  as  ever  your  dutiful  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Off  Tampico,  Mexico, 

February  20,  1847. 
My  dear  sister  : 

I  left  the  Brazos  on  the  17th  inst.  in  the 
steamship  Massachusetts^  having  on  board  Gen- 
eral Scott  and  staff,  numbering  some  thirty 
officers,  some  colonels,  majors,  captains,  etc., 
with  about  two  hundred  fifty  soldiers.  We 
arrived  at  this  place  yesterday  morning,  making 
the  passage  in  three  days  (two  hundred  eighty 
miles),  having  most  of  the  time  slight  breezes, 
and  those  not  favorable.  Although  this  is  a 
steamship,  she  does  not  use  her  steam  excepting 
in  calms  or  where  the  wind  is  very  light  and 
ahead,  but  depends  principally  upon  her  sails, 
like  an  ordinary  sailing  vessel.  Most  of  the  time 
we  were  in  sight  of  land,  which  presents,  till 
within  a  few  miles  of  Tampico,  the  same  sandy, 
arid  appearance  that  the  whole  coast  does  from 

59 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

New  Orleans  to  the  Brazos.  For  the  last  few 
miles,  say  forty,  the  shore  presents  a  bold,  rugged 
line,  apparently  rocky  and  covered  with  large 
timbers.  Some  of  the  mountains  loom  up  as 
large  as  some  of  the  Cornwall  Hills.  I  have  not 
been  ashore  yet,  consequently  know  nothing 
about  Tampico,  except  from  reports,  which 
speak  very  favorably  of  it.  Plenty  of  all  sorts 
of  fruit,  and  of  the  finest  kinds,  oranges,  figs, 
pomegranates,  prunes,  etc.,  and  just  now  the 
climate  is  deHghtful,  but  the  long  summers  and 
extreme  heat  are  very  debilitating  and  require  a 
Northern  winter  to  invigorate  and  strengthen 
a  person  to  enable  him  to  commence  again. 

General  Scott  and  suite  have  gone  on  shore 
to  hurry  on  matters  there,  and  expect  to  leave 
in  a  day  or  two,  but  the  great  strike  will  not  be 
made  in  a  month  or  more,  as  everything  moves 
very  slowly.  Vessels  arrive  very  slow,  and 
troops  still  slower,  and  after  all  arrive  it  will 
take  a  long  time  to  organize  so  large  a  force 
collected  from  so  many  different  places.  There 
are  about  three  thousand  already  assembled, 
and  about  ten  more  expected,  that  are  on 
the  way  from  the  Brazos,  all  to  meet  at  an 
island  about  sixty  miles  below  here — Lobos. 
From  there  we  sail  in  company, — in  all,  ninety- 
six   vessels, — proceed   a   few   miles  below  Vera 

60 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Cruz,  and  effect  a  landing  if  possible.  This 
I  believe  to  be  the  intended  expedition  ;  cir- 
cumstances may  change  it.  Nothing  has  been 
spared  in  perfecting  it,  and  I  ardently  hope  it 
may  be  a  successful  one,  yet  so  many  little 
things  may  change  the  operations  that  it  may 
prove  very  hazardous  ;   I  long  to  see  the  end. 

On  arriving  here  we  learned  of  the  death  of  a 
young  officer  of  our  regiment  who  died  at  this 
place  on  the  6th  instant.  He  was  graduated  in 
'42  and  had  been  promoted  but  a  few  months ; 
when  his  company  left  New  York  in  September 
he  was  dangerously  ill,  as  they  did  not  tell  him 
till  after  the  company  had  sailed.  This  had  a 
great  effect  on  him,  and  he  insisted  upon  coming 
out  long  before  his  physician  thought  he  was 
able ;  his  death  may  be  attributed  to  his  zealous 
devotion  to  his  duty.  This  is  the  first  death  in 
my  regiment  for  five  years  and  the  third  natural 
one  in  this  army  since  its  arrival  at  Corpus 
Christi,  twenty  months  since.  I  receive  but 
few  letters  from  home — not  more  than  twice  for 
the  last  four  months,  and  these  very  old.  I 
hope  mine  do  not  receive  the  same  fate.  I 
generally  write  about  once  a  month  home,  and 
occasionally  to  Philo  or  Ehza  ;  but  if  hereafter 
you  do  not  receive  them  so  often,  do  not  be 
alarmed,  as  perhaps  no  opportunity  for  sending 

61 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

will  occur,  if  I  should  be  enabled  to  write  ;  and 
you  are  indebted  for  this  to  a  calm,  which  gives 
me  a  short  interruption  in  my  seasickness.  I 
suffered  very  much  for  a  few  days  before  we 
sailed ;  we  had  a  heavy  "  norther,"  which  blew 
us  out  to  sea  and  made  sad  havoc  amongst  the 
lubbers.  I  had  a  letter  some  time  since  from 
Henry,  offering  his  services  in  procuring  promo- 
tion into  any  new  regiment  that  may  be  raised, 
which  I  declined,  merely  because  I  thought  they 
would  be  disbanded  at  the  end  of  the  war,  and 
I  might  then  want  his  services  in  retaining  my 
commission.  His  friend  Lieutenant  Peck  is 
now  on  board  with  me,  and  we  are  talking  of 
concocting  a  letter  for  Henry. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  S. 

Steamer  Massachusetts,  off  Lobos  Island, 

February  28,  1847. 
My  dear  sister : 

I  have  a  few  moments   to  spare  before   the 

vessel  sails   that  will   take   letters   to   Tampico 

for  the  States.      I  last  wrote  you  from  Tampico 

about  the  19th  instant.     We  sailed  from  there 

the    next    day   and    arrived  here  the  following 

one,  making  the  passage  in  about  sixteen  hours. 

We  found  about  twenty  vessels  of  the  expedi- 

62 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

tion  already  here,  and  since  then  about  ten  more 
have  arrived,  and  others  are  daily  arriving.  The 
regulars  are  now  all  here,  with  about  three  thou- 
sand volunteers,  and  the  General  says  he  shall  not 
wait  for  more  troops,  but  as  soon  as  General 
Worth  and  one  more  vessel  bringing  ordnance 
arrive  he  shall  proceed  to  Vera  Cruz.  This 
island  contains  about  one  hundred  acres,  sandy 
soil  and  covered  with  thick  wood,  consisting  of 
mesquit  and  other  trees  common  to  the  coun- 
try that  I  have  already  been  in,  and  also  the 
india-rubber  tree,  that  I  have  never  before  seen. 
It  grows  usually  about  the  size  of  a  tamarack 
tree  in  our  yard,  but  an  infinite  number  of 
branches,  covering  over  nearly  as  much  ground 
as  the  whole  yard  ;  its  leaf,  shaped  like  a  diamond, 
very  dark  green,  is  thick  and  sticky.  I  drew 
my  knife  through  the  bark  and  a  thin  white 
substance  oozed  out,  looking  very  much  like 
milk,  sticky,  but  not  much  odor.  I  am  told 
that  this  is  collected  and  spread  with  a  brush 
over  some  surface,  making  the  india  rubber. 
Water  is  found  by  digging  a  few  inches,  usually 
near  the  foot  of  some  tree.  It  is  not  very  fresh, 
but  enough  so  to  make  it  drinkable.  The  island 
is  surrounded  by  a  coral  reef,  some  two  or  three 
hundred  yards  from  shore,  which  breaks  the 
breakers,  and  between  this  and  the  shore  is  clear, 

63 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

smooth  water  of  about  two  or  three  feet  in  depth, 
making  the  finest  sort  of  fishing.  All  sorts  and 
all  sizes,  from  the  shark  to  the  minnow,  are 
congregated  here,  being  probably  the  first  visit 
they  have  received  from  either  the  barbarian 
or  the  most  humane,  and  they  are  suflfering 
some.  We  had  hardly  dropped  our  anchor 
here  before  a  small  schooner  was  alongside  from 
down  East,  having  on  board  chickens,  apples, 
eggs,  onions,  cabbages,  etc.,  almost  everything 
that  grows  down  there.  A  pilot  came  on  board 
our  vessel  a  few  miles  out ;  his  first  words  told 
where  he  was  from  :  "  Clus  up  that  mainsail." 
He  came  down  here  a  few  days  before  us,  found 
out  the  anchorage,  and  is  now  making  from 
twenty  to  fifty  dollars  a  day  for  his  service.  To 
hear  one  pointing  out  the  vessels,  you  would 
suppose  they  were  all  from  down  East.  Ques. 
"  Do  you  know  what  vessel  that  is  ? "  pointing  to 
one.  "  That  is  the  Mary  Jane,  from  Portland." 
"  Well,  what  vessel's  that  ?  "  "  Why,  that  is  the 
Anna  Maria,  from  Stonington."  And  so  on 
through  half  the  fleet,  but  it  is  the  most  beau- 
tiful sight  I  ever  saw — the  vessels  covered  with 
troops — and  every  evening  to  hear  the  music  of 
six  or  eight  bands  is  delightful  to  even  so  un- 
musical an  ear  as  mine.  My  servant,  George, 
died  at  Tampico  a  few  days   since.     I   left  him 

64 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

there  sick,  but  expected  him  to  join  me  here, 
and  to-day  I  heard  he  was  dead.  I  have  had 
him  so  long  (eight  years),  and  I  beheve  he  was 
so  faithfully  attached  to  me,  that  I  regret  his 
death  very  much,  but  I  hope  he  is  better  off. 
You  will  not,  probably,  hear  from  me  again  till 
I  am  in  Vera  Cruz.  We  sail  in  a  day  or  two, 
and  much  will  depend  on  the  weather  where  we 
land,  and  some,  perhaps,  on  the  Mexicans  ;  but 
I  have  every  confidence  in  our  troops  and  the 
success  of  the  expedition.  Yet  something  will 
depend  upon  good  luck,  and  Eliza  says  I  have 
plenty  of  that.  There  are  now  sixteen  officers 
seated  at  the  table,  writing  letters  home  and  to 
their  sweethearts.  I  am  thinking  what  a  jolly 
time  somebody  will  have  when  they  get  them, 
although,  as  Mark  Tapley  would  say,  "  there 
is  no  credit  in  being  jolly  under  such  circum- 
stances ;  't  is  only  when  you  don't  get  letters 
you  get  credit  for  being  jolly." 

As  ever  yours, 

J.  s. 

Steamship  Massachusetts, 

Anton   Lizardo, 

March  6,  1847. 
My  dear  sister : 

We  sailed  from  Lobos  Island  on  the  2d  inst. 

and    anchored  at  this  place,  twelve  miles  south 

65 


/ 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

of  Vera  Cruz,  yesterday  morning,  and  are  only 
waiting  for  two  or  three  vessels  to  come  up  be- 
fore we  commence  disembarking.  Before  you 
receive  this  you  will  have  seen  that  General 
Taylor  has  had  another  great  battle,  and,  we  all 
agree,  a  victory,  although  we  have  had  no  ac- 
count of  this  except  through  the  Mexicans. 
From  Santa  Anna's  own  account  I  am  satisfied 
that  he  is  well  licked ;  this  comes  in  the  right 
time  for  us,  as  the  ball  will  open  in  a  few  days. 
We  sailed  from  Lobos  about  twelve  o'clock  on 
the  2d.  Our  ship  gave  the  signal  to  weigh  an- 
chor and  proceed  to  this  anchorage  by  firing  a 
gun.  At  the  same  time  this  vessel  got  under 
weigh  and,  with  her  steam,  sailed  through  the 
squadron,  and  as  we  passed  each  vessel  the  men 
sent  up  such  cheers  as  made  the  air  ring,  and 
those  vessels  that  had  bands  on  board  (and  there 
were  seven  or  eight)  had  them  playing  ;  at  one 
time  there  were  four  heard  distinctly,  and  this, 
taken  with  the  enthusiasm  exhibited  by  the  sol- 
diers, was  cheering  indeed,  and,  as  the  General 
said,  "  was  the  sure  presage  of  victory."  The 
last  vessel  we  passed  was  that  of  Colonel  Bank- 
head  with  four  hundred  of  the  id  Artillery  (my 
regiment),  which  gave  him  (the  General)  cheer 
after  cheer.  I  was  standing  by  his  side,  and  re- 
marked to  him  that  the  2d  had  not  forgotten 

66 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

him  ;  he  said,  "  No,  the  rascals  want  to  fight ; 
they  are  no  better  than  they  were  thirty-three 
years  ago,  when  I  commanded  them  ;  they  were 
always  for  getting  into  the  hottest  part  of  it 
then." 

The  second  day  out,  early  in  the  morning, 
we  were  about  two  miles  from  the  Castle  of  San 
Juan,  when  it  commenced  blowing,  and  by  ten 
it  blew  a  hurricane.  The  next  morning  we 
found  ourselves  about  thirty  miles  south  of  this, 
and,  by  steam,  at  one  o'clock  we  anchored  here. 
There  were  about  forty  sail  already  here,  besides 
some  eight  naval  vessels,  and  that  day  as  many 
as  twenty  more  joined  us.  There  are  now  about 
seventy-five  here ;  the  whole  fleet  consists  of  a 
hundred  sail,  but  as  soon  as  two  light  batteries 
arrive  the  disembarkation  will  commence.  To- 
day the  General,  with  his  staff,  proceeded  in  a 
small  steamer  to  reconnoiter  the  position  of 
town,  castle,  etc.,  and  when  opposite  the  castle 
and  about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  it,  the 
enemy  opened  out  fire  upon  the  boat  and  fired 
some  twenty  shots  without  doing  any  injury. 
After  finishing  this  reconnoissance  the  steamer 
returned.  We  could  see  distinctly  the  flash  of 
their  guns  and  hear  the  report,  and  of  course 
looked  with  some  anxiety  to  see  the  fate  of  the 
little   steamer   that   held   "  Caesar   and   his   for- 

67 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

tunes."  This  shows  something  of  what  they 
intend  for  us,  but  for  the  results  there  can  be 
but  one  anticipation,  and  that  is  victory.  After 
writing  this  much  I  was  called  away  to  prepare 
the  boats  for  disembarking,  and  the  order  is  to 
commence  at  sunrise  to-morrow.  It  is  getting 
quite  warm  —  as  hot  as  it  is  in  Connecticut  in 
May.  If  everything  goes  well  I  hope  to  be  up 
in  the  table-lands  in  a  month  or  six  weeks  ;  there 
it  is  cool  and  healthy.  We  have  a  good  many 
luxuries  here  in  the  way  of  living;  generally 
the  first  vessel  that  boards  us  is  some  Yankee 
steamer  loaded  with  notions.  On  some  of  them 
they  will  not  only  bring,  but  raise  poultry  for 
sale,  and  keep  them  for  eggs.  There  has  been 
no  communication  with  the  shore  yet ;  as  soon 
as  there  is  we  hope  to  get  plenty  of  fruit. 
Remember  your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  s. 

Camp   before  Vera  Cruz, 

March  22,  1847. 
My  dear  sister : 

I  have  time  to  give  you  but  little  news  save 
to  tell  you  of  our  safe  landing,  meeting  but 
Httle  opposition  till  we  had  nearly  invested  the 
town ;  since  then  they  have  kept  up  a  con- 
tinual fire   upon   us,   doing  little  or  no  injury 

68 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Our  batteries  are  to  open  upon  the  town  at 
two  o'clock  to-day,  and  it  is  the  impression 
that  we  shall  have  possession  of  it  in  forty-eight 
hours.  So  far  they  have  had  all  the  fun  on  their 
side  ;  now  comes  our  turn.  We  landed  thirteen 
days  ago,  and  have  had  some  duty  since  —  in 
fact,  I  have  been  up  every  other  night  and  on 
duty  almost  every  day.  I  did  not  intend  to 
write  again  till  we  had  Vera  Cruz ;  but  hearing 
that  the  Princeton  was  to  sail  within  an  hour,  I 
send  this  line.  I  will  give  you  a  minute  ac- 
count of  everything  since  landing.  So  far  we 
have  lost  one  officer  and  six  or  eight  men,  and 
in  all  probability  we  shall  get  the  town  with 
very  little  loss.      In  great  haste, 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Camp  near  Vera  Cruz, 

March  27,  1847. 
My  dear  father : 

I  wrote  Emily  a  line  on  the  23d  inst.  inform- 
ing her  of  my  safety,  etc.,  and  I  now  can  give  you 
the  more  pleasing  information  that  the  city  of 
Vera  Cruz  and  the  castle  of  San  Juan  de  UUoa 
are  now  in  our  possession.  Commissioners  are 
now  in  session  arranging  minor  details  of  capitu- 
lation.    They  are  on  our  part  Generals  Worth, 

69 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Pillow,  and  Colonel  Totten.  This  protracted 
siege  of  sixteen  days  has  been  accomplished  with 
the  loss  of  two  officers  and  not  to  exceed  ten 
men,  and  perhaps  forty  wounded,  on  our  part. 
On  theirs  it  cannot  be  ascertained  accurately, 
but  is  supposed  to  be  much  greater.  I  will  give 
you,  as  far  as  possible,  the  occurrences  from  day 
to  day  as  they  fell  under  my  own  observation.  I 
wrote  you  last  about  the  8th  instant,  while  lying 
at  Anton  Lizardo,  an  anchorage  about  nine  or 
ten  miles  from  the  city.  All  arrangements  were 
made  and  orders  issued  for  debarking  the  next 
morning.  The  first  brigade,  composed  of  the 
2d  and  3d  regiments  artillery,  4th,  5th,  6th  and 
8th  regiments  of  infantry,  was  the  first  line 
(under  General  Worth) ;  the  second  were  the 
volunteers,  three  brigades  (under  Major-Gen- 
eral  Patterson,  Brigadiers  Shields,  Pillow, 
and  Quitman);  and  the  reserve,  ist  and  4th 
artillery,  ist,  2d,  3d,  and  yth  infantry  (under 
General  Twiggs)  ;  the  whole,  under  General 
Scott,  amounted  to  about  eleven  thousand, 
some  two  or  three  regiments  not  having  ar- 
rived. At  about  ten  o'clock  the  signal  was 
made  for  weighing  anchor,  and  as  our  ship 
passed  through  the  fleet  everybody  appeared 
in  the  highest  spirits.  The  General  said  he 
wanted   no    better    evidence    of   success    than 

70 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

what  he  saw.  As  we  came  in  sight  of  our 
landing-place  dinner  was  announced.  The 
General  said  all  officers  of  the  first  line  must  go 
down,  and  promptly,  as  it  might  be  several 
days  before  we  got  another  good  dinner.  While 
we  were  at  dinner  the  General  came  down,  and 
calling  for  a  glass  of  wine,  said  that  he  would 
give  us  a  sentiment,  remarking  before  he  offered 
it  that  he  looked  upon  it  as  a  perilous  thing  to 
land  in  the  face  of  an  enemy,  organize  under 
fire,  attack  and  drive  him  from  his  position, 
etc.,  but  that  he  had  all  confidence  in  our  Gen- 
erals and  soldiers,  etc.,  and  then  gave  this  toast : 
"  The  glory  of  our  country  and  success  to  the 
first  brigade."  Just  at  this  moment  we  heard  the 
anchor  fall,  and  in  ten  minutes  all  the  vessels 
had  come  to  anchor  and  the  signals  were  made 
to  get  into  the  surf-boats  and  prepare  to  land. 
As  fast  as  they  got  in,  the  boats  fell  behind  the 
frigate  Raritan  and  held  on  to  her  till  the  sig- 
nal should  be  given  to  land.  This,  I  think, 
was  the  most  beautiful  sight  I  ever  saw,  as  the 
boats  fell  in  their  places,  the  colors  flying,  the 
bands  playing,  etc.  When  the  signal  was  made 
to  land,  as  the  boats  cast  off  and  stood  for  shore 
the  navy  and  2d  and  3d  lines  sent  up  cheer 
after  cheer  that  might  have  been  heard  for  miles. 
On  our  part  nothing  was  heard  but  the  oarsmen, 

71 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

as  each  boat  and  regiment  rivalled  each  other  as 
to  who  should  first  reach  the  land.     Just  as  we 
reached  the  land  we  raised  a  cheer  that  made  it 
ring,  and  which   was   returned    from    the   fleet. 
Some   small  vessels   of  the   navy  had  gone  in 
close  to  shore  and  opened  their  fire  to  ascertain 
if  there  were  any  batteries — if  so,  to   draw  their 
fire  ;  but  we  landed  without  firing  a  shot,  and  a 
glorious  opportunity  for  the  enemy  was  lost  for- 
ever—  for  after  we  had  formed  our  hne  of  battle 
ten  thousand  Mexicans  could  not  have  broken 
it,  whereas  one  thousand  previous  to  our  landing 
would  have  annoyed  us   seriously,  if  not  have 
prevented    it.      It    was    now    nearly    sundown. 
The  Hne  of  battle  was  formed,  and  after  taking 
possession   of  some   heights   we    were   wheeled 
into  columns  to  the  right.      Our  regiment   (the 
2d)  found  themselves  in  advance.      Our  com- 
pany was   ordered  forward  as   skirmishers.      In 
this  order  one  half  the  men  were   permitted  to 
lie  down  at  a  time,  and  the  officers  prepared  to 
take   such  rest  as    circumstances   and    our  wet 
condition  would  allow.      Everything  remained 
quiet  until  about  three  o'clock,  when  a  brisk  firing 
in    front  brought  us    to    our   feet.     This  soon 
ceased,  and  we  began  to  think  it  a  false   alarm, 
when   another    discharge,    accompanied    by   an 
unintelligible    whistling    over    our    heads,   con- 

72 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

vinced  us  it  was  no  joke,  if  so  intended.  As 
might  be  expected,  no  more  sleep  that  night, 
and  at  daylight  we  prepared  to  move  forward. 
One  light  company  moved  forward,  and  the 
regiment  was  ordered  to  support  it.  The  com- 
pany moved  forward  slowly  until  they  reached 
the  second  ridge,  when  a  body  of  lancers  and 
infantry  were  discovered  in  the  valley,  and  a 
party  deployed  upon  an  adjoining  hill.  As 
these  fellows  showed  no  disposition  to  move, 
Captain  Taylor  was  ordered  to  bring  up  a  field- 
piece,  a  shot  or  two  of  which  sent  them  off 
double  quick.  Our  regiment  then  moved  for- 
ward and  took  position  on  the  hill  just  vacated 
by  the  enemy,  and  the  rest  of  the  brigade  came 
up  and  took  possession  on  our  left  by  regiments, 
as  they  arrived.  On  this  hill  we  remained  all 
day  watching  the  progress  of  the  second  brigade, 
each  detachment  of  which,  in  taking  up  its 
position,  had  to  drive  the  enemy  before  it.  As 
we  showed  ourselves  on  the  hill  the  castle  and 
three  forts  opened  their  fire  upon  us,  though 
none  of  them  reached  us  to  do  us  any  damage. 
At  sunset  we  withdrew  to  the  base  of  the  hill 
and  took  the  position  which  we  now  occupy, 
being  the  right  of  the  line  of  investment.  We 
remained  quiet  during  the  night ;  about  day- 
light a  smart  firing  on  our  left  told  us   that  the 

73 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

second  division  had  some  work  to  do.  General 
Pillow  to-day  took  a  magazine  with  some  six 
hundred  pounds  of  powder  and  twelve  hundred 
rockets.  The  other  regiments  moved  on  to 
take  their  position.  The  third  day  the  line  of 
investment  was  completed  and  all  communica- 
tion was  cut  off  between  city  and  country.  This 
day  we  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  Captain  Al- 
burtis  by  a  cannon-ball,  and  two  riflemen.  The 
loss  of  the  Mexicans  up  to  this  time  was  seven- 
teen. This  included  three  days.  In  my  next 
I  will  continue  the  progress  of  the  siege.  I 
shall  have  more  time  in  a  day  or  so,  certainly 
more  conveniences.  I  have  been  extremely  well 
ever  since  I  have  been  here,  although  I  have 
been  up  nearly  every  other  night. 

Adieu  ! 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Vera  Cruz,  Mexico, 

April  2,  1847. 
My  dear  father : 

Before  you  receive  this  you  will  probably  re- 
ceive a  note  from  Captain  Swartwout,  who  left 
here  a  few  days  since,  very  unexpectedly  to  me, 
as  I  did  not  know  he  was  going  till  he  had  gone 
on  board  the  vessel.  I  had  not  time  to  write 
even  a  line,  but  requested  him,  when  he  arrived 

74 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

in  New  York,  to  drop  you  a  line  letting  you 
know  I  am  well.  When  I  last  wrote  I  told 
you  of  the  surrender  of  this  place ;  I  think  I 
gave  you  the  events  up  to  the  12th,  and  1  now 
continue  them  as  nearly  as  I  remember.  From 
the  1 2th  to  the  i6th  but  little  was  done  on 
either  side  except  skirmishing  by  parties  out 
reconnoitering.  On  the  i6th  strong  parties 
were  ordered  out  to  drive  in  all  the  enemy's 
pickets,  which  was  done  with  little  loss ;  at 
this  time  our  engineers  selected  positions  for 
our  batteries.  As  this  was  done  within  reach  of 
the  enemy's  batteries,  nothing  could  be  done  by 
daylight.  At  night  the  trench  was  opened  and 
continued,  with  strong  guards  out  to  assist  the 
working  party  if  attacked.  On  the  night  of  the 
19th  the  batteries  were  nearly  ready  for  the  guns. 
I  was  ordered  out  in  advance  to  watch  any  move- 
ments that  might  take  place  and  to  retire  to 
the  trench  at  daylight.  Just  at  break  of  day  I 
entered  the  trench  ;  the  working  party,  consisting 
of  three  hundred  men,  were  about  being  relieved 
by  another  party  to  continue  the  work  during 
the  day.  The  parties  were  passing  each  other 
in  different  directions,  the  guards  at  each  end, 
when  an  officer  and  perhaps  fifty  men  (Mexi- 
cans) rode  up  to  us,  discovered  our  work,  fired 
their  pieces,  and  retreated  to  the  town.      Up  to 

75 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

this  time  they  had  kept  up  a  continual  random 
firing,  but  had  not  discovered  exactly  our  posi- 
tion. As  soon  as  it  was  fairly  light  they  opened 
all  their  batteries  upon  us,  and  kept  it  up  all 
day ;  but  the  trench  was  so  far  advanced  that  it 
completely  sheltered  us  from  all  direct  firing, 
but  the  shells  flew  over  us  and  burst  over  us 
for  more  than  twelve  hours  without  killing  any 
one  and  only  wounding  five  or  six.  At  dark  I 
was  relieved,  for  before  this  no  one  could  leave 
the  trench  with  safety.  From  this  time  to  the 
22d  the  time  was  occupied  in  bringing  up  the 
mortars,  guns,  etc.,  making  magazines,  filling 
them,  etc.  On  the  22d  we  had  eight  mortars 
and  six  thirty-two  pounders  ready  to  open  their 
fire.  At  twelve  o'clock  the  General  sent  a  flag 
demanding  the  surrender  of  the  town  and  castle, 
to  which  he  received  a  very  polite  answer  from 
the  Governor,  saying  he  had  been  entrusted 
with  the  safety  of  the  place  and  would  defend  it 
with  all  his  means,  etc.  You  will  recollect  up 
to  this  time  we  had  not  fired  a  shot,  but  they 
had  kept  up  a  continual  firing  since  the  morn- 
ing of  the  19th.  At  four  o'clock  we  opened 
fire  upon  them  with  all  the  guns  we  had  in 
position,  and  kept  up  an  incessant  fire  during 
the  night  and  following  day.  This  night  four 
more  mortars  were  placed  ready   to   open,  but, 

76 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

a  "  norther  "  blowing,  we  could  not  get  ammu- 
nition from  the  ship  to  supply  them.  On  the 
23d  and  24th  ammunition  was  landed,  a  bat- 
tery of  twenty  four-pounders  was  established, 
and  on  the  morning  of  the  25th  all  opened  and 
continued  during  the  day,  and  such  destruction 
as  was  made  you  cannot  conceive — almost  every 
shell  striking  a  house  demolished  it.  I  had 
charge  of  a  battery  of  four  mortars  at  daylight 
on  the  26th  ;  the  evening  previous  eight  more 
mortars  had  been  placed  but  were  not  fixed. 
We  kept  the  fire  up  till  three  o'clock,  when 
a  flag  was  sent  into  town  with  some  message. 
The  enemy  had  not  fired  since  nine  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  but  till  that  time  they  had  thun- 
dered away  at  our  batteries  with  all  their  might. 
Firing  on  our  part  was  not  resumed  till  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Very  soon  after  we 
heard  a  bugle  from  the  walls  blowing  a  par- 
ley. Some  man  told  me  it  was  one ;  I  imme- 
diately ceased  firing  and  sent  word  to  the  com- 
manding officer  in  the  battery  to  order  the 
batteries  to  cease,  but,  hearing  nothing  more, 
they  commenced  again.  The  bugle  and  flag 
proceeded  to  camp,  and  orders  immediately 
came  to  cease  firing,  but  a  few  minutes  before  I 
had  been  relieved  by  another  firing  party.  The 
flag  requested  that  commissioners  might  be  ap- 

77 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

pointed  to  arrange  the  conditions  of  a  surren- 
der ;  this  was  done,  and  arrangements  made  and 
signed  on  the  27th,  and  on  the  29th  we  took 
formal  possession  of  the  town  and  castle.  The 
conditions  were  that  the  enemy  were  to  give  up 
all  guns,  ammunition,  and  pubHc  property  of 
every  description,  to  march  out  and  stack  their 
arms,  and  surrender  themselves  prisoners  of 
war.  The  officers  were  paroled  and  pledged 
that  the  men  should  not  serve  till  the  close  of 
the  war  unless  exchanged.  Their  number,  as 
near  as  possible  to  guess,  was  five  general  offi- 
cers, sixteen  colonels,  more  than  two  hundred 
company  officers,  more  than  four  thousand  nine 
hundred  rank  and  file,  making  in  round  num- 
bers five  thousand  two  hundred.  This  with  a 
loss  on  our  part  of  not  to  exceed  twenty  killed 
and  sixty  wounded.  On  their  part,  by  the  esti- 
mate made  by  themselves,  there  are  from  two  to 
five  hundred ;  they  cannot  tell,  as  so  many  had 
left  the  city  previously.  It  is  the  most  complete 
victory  of  science  in  modern  warfare.  At  no 
time  did  we  have  more  than  six  hundred  men 
engaged,  except  to  invest  the  place.  I  have  a 
great  deal  more  to  say  at  some  other  time  ;  till 
then  believe  me  to  be 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

78 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Vera  Cruz,  Mexico, 

April  TO,  1847. 
My  dear  sister : 

My  last  three  letters  were  directed  to  father, 
as  they  were  so  intimately  connected  with  the 
events  here  that  I  thought  it  best  not  to  sepa- 
rate them  ;  and  I  would  here  request,  if  I  have 
not  before  done  it,  that  you  would  preserve 
them,  as  there  are  some  things  in  them  which  I 
might  like  to  refer  to.  I  hardly  remember 
where  I  left  off,  but  it  was  about  the  time  of  the 
capitulation,  the  terms  of  which  I  have  sent  you 
in  a  paper  called  the  Vera  Cruz  "  Eagle."  The 
scene  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  I  ever  wit- 
nessed. Not  alone  for  the  novelty  of  seeing  a 
vanquished  foe  laying  down  his  arms,  although 
this  might  have  added  to  the  effect,  but  it  was 
the  tout  ensemble,  the  chivalry  of  the  armies 
meeting  on  a  vast  plain,  one  marching  out  of 
the  city  which  they  had  gallantly  defended  and 
laying  down  their  arms ;  the  other  receiving 
their  arms  and  marching  in.  Our  troops  were 
drawn  up  on  this  vast  plain,  several  miles  in 
extent,  the  right  resting  near  to  the  principal 
gate  of  the  city,  through  which  their  troops  were 
to  leave.  At  a  given  signal  their  flags  were 
lowered  from  the  forts  and  castle  and  the  gates 
thrown  open  and  the  troops  issued  out ;  each 

79 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

regiment,  preceded  by  its  band  of  music,  halting 
when  opposite  our  line,  stacked  their  arms  and 
hung  upon  them  their  accoutrements  and  then 
resumed  their  march  in  the  direction  indicated 
in  the  terms  of  capitulation.  As  each  regiment 
or  detatchment  evacuated  a  fort,  our  troops 
marched  in,  raised  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  and 
saluted  them  with  the  same  guns  which  but  a 
few  days  previously  had  been  thundering  death 
and  destruction  to  us. 

This  town  is  an  old  Spanish  one,  with  but 
very  few  modern  houses.  The  old  ones  were 
once  splendid,  most  of  them  very  costly.  The 
cathedral  is  two  hundred  years  old,  and  its 
style  of  architecture  is  of  that  period ;  very 
magnificent.  There  are  the  usual  number  of 
saints  and  other  decorations,  but  not  so  rich  as 
in  most  of  the  cathedrals.  Outside  of  the  walls 
of  the  city  is  the  cemetery,  a  most  beautiful 
place  surrounded  by  a  high  wall.  At  the  cor- 
ners, large  stone  pyramids,  and  at  the  entrance 
a  highly  ornamented  gateway  with  marble  flag- 
ging walks.  In  the  center  there  is  a  small  but 
most  beautiful  church,  all  the  interior  of  which, 
including  the  altar,  is  of  the  most  highly  pol- 
ished marble.  All  this  was  destroyed  by  their 
own  guns.  Our  batteries,  being  established  in 
advance  of  this,  were  connected  by  a  trench  to 

80 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

cover  the  men.  Almost  every  gun  fired  at  two 
of  our  batteries  struck  either  the  wall  or  church, 
and  as  this  was  kept  up  for  ten  days  or  more 
you  can  imagine  how  much  it  was  riddled.  This 
was  certainly  to  be  regretted,  but  could  not  be 
avoided,  as  we  could  not  change  the  position  of 
our  batteries  to  protect  their  property.  The 
destruction  caused  by  our  guns  in  the  town  is 
incalculable.  Houses  whose  outer  walls  seem 
whole  have  been  struck  by  a  bomb  in  the  roof, 
then  falling  to  the  basement,  bursting  and  tear- 
ing out  all  the  interior.  Many  of  the  bombs  fell 
into  the  handsomest  buildings,  almost  entirely 
demolishing  them,  but  you  will  see  enough  of 
this  in  the  papers.  We  expected  to  have  gone 
to  Jalapa  before  this.  Two  divisions  have  gone, 
and  ours,  the  only  one  left,  will  go  in  four 
days.  Probably  I  shall  not  write  again  until  I 
get  there.  All  travellers  say  that  it  is  a  cool, 
healthy,  and  delightful  country,  the  climate  as- 
similating to  our  own,  with  fruits  and  vegetables 
corresponding.  You  will  hardly  believe  me 
when  I  tell  you  I  can  look  out  of  my  tent  and 
see  the  mountains  covered  with  snow,  yet  such 
is  the  fact.  It  is  a  chain  called  the  Orizaba, 
about  fifty  miles  from  here,  and  seventeen  thou- 
sand feet  above  the  sea.  Yet  all  the  ice  we  get 
here  comes  from  Boston,  when  with  a  little  en- 

8i 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

ergy  it  might  be  brought  with  one-tenth  the 
cost.  I  think  it  high  time  some  country  took 
possession  of  this,  and  I  should  be  in  favor  of 
doing  it  were  it  not  for  keeping  the  army  here. 
I  am  anxious  to  see  the  North  again,  although 
I  would  not  have  missed  seeing  this. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Castle  of  Perote,  Mexico, 

April  22,  1847. 
My  dear  sister : 

You  have  probably  heard  before  this  that  we 
have  had  a  battle  with  Santa  Anna,  and  that  the 
result  has  been  victory  to  our  arms.  I  cannot 
give  you  any  of  the  particulars,  and  you  will  ex- 
cuse me,  I  know,  when  I  tell  you  that  I  have 
marched  fifteen  miles  to-day,  eighteen  yester- 
day, and  so  on.  I  will  give  you  the  result  in  a 
few  words :  We  left  Vera  Cruz  on  the  13th 
instant,  marched  one  day,  when  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  the  enemy  occupied  a  strong  posi- 
tion in  front  and  was  determined  to  give  us  a 
hard  battle.  On  the  fourth  evening  we  arrived 
within  five  miles  of  the  pass  (Cerro  Gordo), 
rested  the  next  day,  attacked  Santa  Anna  on  the 
morning  of  the  6th,  and  in  two  hours  had  en- 

82 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

tirely  routed  him,  killing  and  dispersing  one 
thousand  men,  taking  six  thousand  prisoners 
with  all  their  arms,  forty  pieces  of  cannon,  a 
great  quantity  of  ammunition,  etc.  Santa  Anna 
escaped,  it  is  said,  with  four  thousand  men. 
The  next  day  we  commenced  the  pursuit, 
reached  Jalapa,  driving  them  through,  and 
through  another  pass,  which  they  had  strongly 
fortified,  where  a  few  determined  men  might 
have  held  a  large  army.  The  gun-carriages 
were  burning  when  we  passed  through ;  they 
abandoned  this  place,  one  of  the  strongest  and 
finest  I  ever  saw.  Day  after  to-morrow  we  fol- 
low them  to  Puebla,  a  city  of  seventy-five  thou- 
sand inhabitants  ;  and  it  is  believed  they  will 
make  some  resistance,  but  they  are  so  com- 
pletely panic-stricken  that  there  is  no  telling  what 
they  will  do.  The  distance  to  Puebla  is  seven- 
ty-five miles,  and  thirty-three  from  here  to  Ja- 
lapa, General  Scott's  headquarters.  The  city  of 
Mexico  is  only  seventy  miles  from  Puebla,  and 
with  a  few  more  troops  we  might  soon  be  there. 
I  am  so  tired  that  I  can  hardly  hold  my  pen  ; 
the  express  comes  in  two  hours,  or  to-morrow, 
or  I  would  send  you  a  long  letter ;  but  I  will,  as 
soon  as  we  get  to  a  stop,  give  you  the  particulars 
of  the  battle  and  such  other  observations  as  I 

83 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

hope  you  will  find  interesting.  There  are  three 
of  us  writing  around  one  tallow  candle,  and  writ- 
ing pretty  much  the  same  sentence. 

Your  brother,  in  great  haste, 

J.  S. 

Tepeyahualco,  Mexico, 

April  30,  1847. 
My  dear  sister : 

I  left  Perote,  as  I  wrote  in  my  last  note,  on 
the  morning  of  the  25th,  and  after  two  days' 
march  reached  this  place,  about  thirty  miles  dis- 
tant. Last  evening,  about  dark,  we  were  grati- 
fied by  the  appearance  of  a  large  five-mile  train 
loaded  with  letters  and  papers  from  the  States, 
and  perhaps  such  a  busy  time  never  before  was 
seen,  unless  it  was  in  mounting  the  hill  of 
Cerro  Gordo.  Amongst  them  was  yours  of  the 
26th  of  March,  the  only  one  from  home.  I 
promised  to  give  you  a  detailed  description  of 
our  last  battle,  but  you  will  have  to  content 
yourself  with  a  very  imperfect  one,  as  the  field  of 
operations  was  so  extended,  and  the  immediate 
dispersion  of  the  different  columns  in  pursuit 
of  the  enemy  renders  it  impossible  to  give  a 
correct  one.  General  Worth's  division  of  the 
army  left  Vera  Cruz  on  the  13th  inst.,  four 
days  after  the  division  under  General  Twiggs, 

84 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

with  orders  to  proceed  by  easy  marches  on 
Jalapa,  as  no  opposition  was  then  expected ;  but 
on  the  second  day  out  an  express  brought  the 
news  that  the  enemy  had  fortified  a  strong 
position  in  front  and  that  General  Twiggs  was 
waiting  for  reinforcements  to  force  it — but  our 
troops  were  not  to  be  forced — in  order  that  they 
might  be  fresh  on  their  arrival.  On  the  even- 
ing of  the  1 6th  we  reached  General  Twiggs' 
camp,  Plan  del  Rio,  about  five  miles  from 
the  battle-ground.  The  order  of  the  attack 
was  to  be  on  the  i8th,  but  the  positions  were 
to  be  taken  on  the  17th.  The  ground  had 
been  previously  reconnoitered,  roads  cut,  posi- 
tions selected,  and  all  arrangements  made.  On 
the  17th  a  hill  from  which  many  observations 
had  been  made  by  our  officers,  and  upon  which 
a  battery  was  to  be  placed,  was  found  to  be  in 
possession  of  the  enemy,  and  a  severe  struggle 
with  severe  losses  on  both  sides  was  necessary 
to  obtain  it ;  this  was  carried  and  the  troops 
rested  here  for  this  day.  So  far  nothing  had 
been  gained,  but  the  moral  effect  of  driving  the 
enemy  inspired  our  troops.  The  Cerro  Gordo 
is  a  high  hill,  supposed  to  be  impregnable, 
crowned  with  five  guns  and  defended  by  several 
hundred  troops  —  enough,  it  was  supposed,  to 
hold  it  against  any  number  that  could  be  brought 

85 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

against  it.  The  possession  of  this  hill  was  in- 
dispensable to  our  success,  and  after  gaining  it 
their  whole  works  must  fall.  Then  there  was  to 
be  the  terrible  struggle.  The  hill  was  a  perfect 
cone,  the  summit  covering  about  an  acre,  the 
sides  covered  with  thick  underbrush,  and  within 
^  range  of  musketry  from  the  top,  the  brush  cut 
off  and  thrown  down,  making  it  almost  impas- 
sable. The  taking  of  this  hill  was  assigned  to 
General  Twiggs'  division,  consisting  of  the  ist 
and  4th  artillery,  rifle  regiment,  2d,  3d,  and  7th 
infantry.  The  volunteers,  two  brigades,  were 
to  attack  the  batteries  on  the  left  and  one  bri- 
gade and  a  battery  on  the  right.  General  Worth 
was  to  get  possession  of  their  rear,  cut  off 
their  retreat,  and  if  necessary  secure  the  col- 
umn attacking  the  hill.  The  success  of  the 
volunteers  was  thought  unimportant,  as  the 
fall  of  the  hill  would  give  us  command 
of  all  their  works,  but  the  attack  was  ne- 
cessary to  prevent  the  enemy  from  reinforc- 
ing the  hill.  The  attack  was  made  at  nine 
o'clock,  our  column  moving  around  to  the  rear, 
General  Twiggs  attacking  with  great  fury,  and 
after  a  struggle  of  half  an  hour  carried  it,  losing 
many  valuable  lives,  but  gaining  the  battle. 
As  our  column  was  moving  around,  word  was 
brought  that  reinforcements  were  wanted,  and 
the  head  of  the  column  was  turned  up  the  hill. 

86 


GENERAL  JOHN   SEDGWICK 

We  arrived  just  in  time  to  see  the  enemy  run, 
and  the  head  of  the  column  gave  them  two 
broadsides,  hastening  their  flight.  We  then 
took  our  position,  the  other  column  following 
the  enemy.  As  soon  as  we  had  gained  our 
position  a  white  flag  was  sent  offering  terms  of 
surrender.  The  General  sent  word  that  the 
terms  must  be  unconditional,  that  he  had  them 
in  his  grasp,  and  that  fifteen  minutes  would  be 
allowed  them  to  consider  it.  They  took  only 
five,  and  surrendered,  and  were  marched  back 
to  our  camp  at  Plan  del  Rio,  numbering  six 
thousand,  where  they  gave  their  parole  and  were 
disbanded.  Our  division  encamped  on  the  field, 
collected  the  wounded,  took  them  to  hospitals, 
etc.  Our  wounded  were  taken  from  the  field 
as  soon  as  wounded.  They  sent  surgeons  im- 
mediately to  take  care  of  their  own,  and  all  vied 
with  each  other  in  rendering  assistance.  Our 
loss  is  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing ;  many  were  wounded  so 
slightly  as  not  to  require  dressing ;  probably  a 
hundred  are  now  attending  to  duty.  Their  loss 
is  variously  estimated  from  six  to  ten  hundred, 
probably  about  eight  hundred ;  over  two  hun- 
dred were  buried  on  the  hill,  and  when  I  was  on 
it,  it  was  covered  with  the  dying  and  wounded. 
It  was  truly  a  horrible  sight,  and  no  description 
can  equal  the  reality  ;  within  a  few  yards  of  my 

87 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

tent  lay  seven  dead  Mexicans,  and  this  was  half 
a  mile  from  the  battle-field — killed  probably  in 
the  pursuit.  One  of  my  men  brought  me  a  splen- 
did saddle,  holsters,  etc.,  worth  forty  dollars 
here ;  another  a  pony,  a  very  fine  one.  Santa 
Anna's  carriage,  with  between  twenty  and  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  was  captured,  which  furnished 
an  easy  conveyance  for  our  wounded  officers. 
Much  private  baggage  was  captured,  which  was 
restored  when  called  for.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
say  that  the  volunteers  were  repulsed  in  every 
effort,  except  the  brigade  on  the  right  (General 
Shields),  which  took  a  battery.  We  took  forty 
pieces  of  cannon,  between  seven  and  eight  thou- 
sand stand  of  small  arms,  more  ammunition 
than  we  have  in  the  country,  dispersed  and  cap- 
tured their  best  and  only  organized  army,  and 
may  possibly  contribute  to  bring  peace  ;  but 
who  cares  ? — only  the  poor  devils  of  the  army 
suffer.  I  am  within  forty  miles  of  a  mountain 
covered  with  snow.  The  peak  looks  as  if  you 
were  looking  into  the  skies.  I  have  never  suf- 
fered more  with  the  cold  than  I  have  the  last 
month  ;  but  the  weather  is,  I  am  told,  unchange- 
able— the  same  in  January  and  in  July.  All  the 
fruits  and  vegetables  are  like  the  North. 
Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  S. 
88 


GENERAL  JOHN   SEDGWICK 

Tepeyahualco,  Mexico,  May  4,  1847. 

My  dear  sister: 

When  I  wrote  you  last  from  this  place,  a  move 
onward  was  contemplated  in  two  or  three  days, 
but  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  supplies  for  such 
a  large  number  has  delayed  our  movement ;  be- 
sides, it  is  understood  that  no  opposition  will  be 
made  to  our  entrance  into  Puebla,  a  city  of  sixty 
thousand  inhabitants.  When  the  army  left  Vera 
Cruz,  General  Scott  did  not  intend  going  farther 
than  Jalapa ;  but  the  signal  defeat  of  the  enemy 
at  Cerro  Gordo,  leaving  them  no  time  to  rally 
their  troops,  persuaded  him  to  follow  them  with 
vigor.  By  doing  so  the  strongest  places  have 
been  seized  by  our  troops,  and  all  Mexico  cannot 
drive  us  out  of  them.  The  fortress  at  Perote, 
with  an  ordinary  garrison  of  our  troops,  is  im- 
pregnable. In  my  last  I  endeavored  to  give  you 
an  account  of  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo ;  this, 
of  course,  must  have  been  very  imperfect,  but 
what  I  wrote  I  believe  to  be  facts,  except  the 
number  of  prisoners.  This  I  had  from  the  Ad- 
jutant-General ;  but  the  result  will  not  vary  but 
a  few  hundred, —  say  five, —  and  this  discrepancy 
arose  from  their  escape  after  they  had  surren- 
dered. Many  interesting  anecdotes  might  be 
related,  but  they  would  have  but  little  interest 

89 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

for  you.  One,  however,  I  will  relate.  When 
Colonel  Harney  was  leading  the  column  up  that 
terrible  hill,  it  was  reported  to  him  that  three 
thousand  Mexicans  were  attacking  his  flank  and 
rear.  He  replied  :  "  Let  them  attack ;  we  will  carry 
the  hill,  then  their  whole  force  can't  budge  us  a 
foot."  I  met  a  young  officer — Lieutenant  Bee, 
3d  Infantry  —  and,  observing  his  hand  bleeding, 
remarked  to  him  that  I  was  sorry  to  see  him 
wounded.  He  said:  Yes,  he  was  sorry  too; 
but  that,  to  save  himself,  he  was  obliged  to  kill  a 
soldier.  Then,  looking  at  his  sword,  found  it 
bloody  to  the  hilt.  On  entering  the  fort,  a  sol- 
dier ran  at  him  with  his  bayonet,  which  he  parried, 
receiving  the  wound  in  his  hand.  The  sides  of 
the  hill  were  literally  covered  with  the  dead  and 
dying,  but  such  horrible  pictures  can  have  no 
interest  for  any  person.  The  road  from  Vera 
Cruz  to  Mexico  is  the  only  one  deserving  the 
name  in  the  country,  and  this  was  built  by  the 
old  Spaniards.  Its  expense  must  have  been 
enormous  —  they  say  at  least  a  hundred  thousand 
dollars  a  league,  two  and  five  eighths  of  a  mile. 
It  was  built  by  their  forcing  the  Indians  to  labor. 
The  bridges,  etc.,  are  made  of  the  most  expensive 
material,  and  after  the  same  plans  that  are  studied 
at  West  Point,  remarkable  for  their  strength 
and  beauty.    Since  the  revolution  of  1821  it  has 

90 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

had  but  few  repairs,  but  it  would  be  a  good  road 
a  hundred  years  from  now.  The  National  Bridge 
is  one  of  the  finest  pieces  of  architecture  of  the 
kind  known.  After  leaving  Vera  Cruz,  for 
eight  or  ten  miles  the  country  is  low  and 
sandy ;  it  then  grows  rolling,  fertile,  and  much 
more  interesting.  The  second  night  we  reached 
the  National  Bridge ;  this  is  over  a  stream  nearly  as 
large  as  the  Housatonic,  and  the  country  resem- 
bles somewhat  that  about  the  Hollow  at  Corn- 
wall. General  Santa  Anna  has  a  country  house 
built  in  modern  style,  and  very  expensive ;  a 
guard  was  placed  over  it  to  prevent  any  one  from 
defacing  it.  From  this  place  we  marched  to  Plan 
del  Rio ;  this  is  a  stream  much  smaller  than  the 
other,  but,  like  it,  running  through  a  deep  chasm. 
This  is  from  four  to  five  miles  from  the  battle- 
field. After  passing  it,  the  country  is  better  cul- 
tivated, and  you  see  large  fields  fenced  with  strong 
stone  walls,  people  hoeing  their  corn,  picking 
fruit,  large  droves  of  cattle,  sheep,  etc.  As  you 
approach  Jalapa,  you  can  almost  imagine  your- 
self in  a  New  England  city.  It  has  from  twelve 
to  fourteen  thousand  inhabitants,  the  streets  are 
large  and  clean,  the  hovises  many  of  them  old, 
but  of  a  most  magnificent  appearance.  A  great 
many  foreigners  are  here.  You  must  recollect 
that  we  have  been  rising  ever  since  we  left  Vera 

91 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Cruz,  and  are  now  toward  five  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea.  The  nights  are  cool,  the  days 
far  from  being  hot,  so  that  it  is  comfortable 
marching  at  midday.  If  we  should  not  leave 
here  for  a  week,  you  will  probably  hear  from 
me  again. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Convent  San  Francisco, 
PuEBLA,  Mexico,  May  25,  1847. 

My  dear  father : 

We  have  heard  of  the  capture  of  our  last  two 
couriers,  and  I  had  sent  a  letter  by  each  :  one 
written  after  our  arrival  here,  the  other  at  Ama- 
soque,  a  few  miles  from  this.  General  Scott  has 
arrived  with  the  whole  army.  He  says  he  has 
cut  himself  loose  from  the  States,  and  can  provide 
everything  he  wants  for  the  army  here.  All  he 
wants  is  men,  men,  money,  money,  and  his  com- 
munications will  be  very  uncertain.  I  shall, 
nevertheless,  continue  to  write,  hoping  some 
letter  luckier  than  the  rest  may  reach  you. 
After  leaving  Tepeyahualco,  for  four  days  we 
passed  through  a  very  delightful  country,  well 
cultivated,  the  finest  water  —  generally  brought 
from   the   mountains;    and    at    distances    from 

92 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

twenty  to  thirty  miles  there  are  mountains 
whose  tops  are  covered  with  snow ;  others,  at 
lesser  distances,  are  covered  in  the  morning,  but 
it  disappears  during  the  day.  And  from  here  I 
can  see,  in  every  direction,  banks  that  never  dis- 
appear, and  some,  to  appearances,  not  more  than 
five  or  ten  miles  distant.  Yet  the  weather  is  mild 
and  uniform.  A  thin  summer  dress,  or  our  thick 
coats  buttoned  up  to  the  chin,  and  you  do  not 
feel  the  heat  or  cold.  For  the  first  four  days  no- 
thing happened  to  disturb  us  but  reports  contin- 
ually coming  in  of  large  bodies  of  troops  in  front 
determined  to  give  us  a  fight.  The  second  day 
we  heard  they  had  fortified  a  pass  called  El  Pinal, 
and  had  mined  the  road,  determined,  if  obliged 
to  retreat,  to  blow  us  up.  We  arrived  within  two 
miles  the  evening  of  the  third  day.  The  next 
morning  we  sent  forward  an  advance,  the  main 
body  moving  soon  after,  and  found  their  troops 
had  left,  but  had  not  completed  their  mines. 
This  day  we  went  to  Amasoque,  where  it  was  ex- 
pected a  commission  would  meet  for  the  surren- 
der of  Puebla ;  none  arrived,  and  we  expect  to 
remain  here.  One  day,  at  about  ten  o'clock,  news 
came  that  Santa  Anna,  with  the  Mexican  army, 
was  upon  us.  In  ten  minutes  the  troops  were 
under  arms,  marching  out  of  the  town  to  give 
them  battle.    This  report  proved  true.    As  we 

93 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

marched  out,  Santa  Anna  had  reached  the  suburbs 
at  the  head  of  from  three  to  four  thousand  men, 
all  mounted.  As  my  regiment  marched  out, 
they  were  filing  along  nearly  in  a  parallel  direc- 
tion, and  about  one  thousand  yards  distant. 
After  leaving  the  town  we  halted,  and  opened 
upon  them  with  two  pieces  of  artillery,  just  as 
they  were  forming  for  a  charge.  After  a  few 
rounds  (seventy),  they  broke,  and  our  regiment 
was  ordered  to  proceed  back  to  meet  General 
Quitman,  who  was  hourly  expected  with  his  bri- 
gade. We  met  him  about  three  miles  from  town, 
returned,  cooked  our  dinner,  ate  half  of  it,  and 
were  ordered  in  pursuit.  We  marched,  however, 
but  three  miles,  encamped  in  a  corn-field  in  a  cold 
rain,  with  no  tents,  no  baggage,  no  supper,  and, 
as  I  thought,  a  fairer  prospect  for  a  battle  than 
we  had  had  yet.  At  midnight  a  delegation  came 
from  the  town,  offering  to  surrender  it;  but  it 
was  well  understood  by  us  that  Santa  Anna  with 
his  troops  was  there,  and  we  thought  it  more  than 
likely  would  fight  us,  as  the  civil  authorities  had 
no  control  over  him  or  his  army.  The  next  morn- 
ing we  started  before  daylight  (lay  on  our  arms 
all  night),  marching  about  seven  miles.  As  we 
approached  the  town  we  met  the  civil  function- 
aries, come  to  escort  us  into  the  city,  and  it  was 
here  that  we  learned  that  the  troops  had  all  left. 

94 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

After  going  into  the  heart  of  the  city,  and  resting 
for  an  hour,  we  were  all  marched  to  our  quarters, 
the  second  artillery  occupying  the  same  barrack 
that  the  second  battahon  had  just  marched  out  of. 
And  now  the  first  prospect  appeared,  for  a  long 
time,  of  having  a  little  rest  in  comfortable  quar- 
ters ;  and  it  is  not  so  pleasant  now  as  you  might 
suppose,  as  we  have  daily  reports  of  troops  ready 
to  pounce  upon  us  if  caught  napping ;  but  after 
General  Scott's  arrival  we  felt  more  at  our  ease. 
In  my  next  I  will  say  something  about  the  city, 
of  the  magnificence  of  which  you  can  have  no 
conception.  Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Convent  San  Francisco, 
PuEBLA,  Mexico,  June  8,  1847. 

My  dear  sister : 

My  last  letter  to  father,  dated  25th  of  May, 
will  go  with  this,  as  I  have  had  no  opportunity 
to  send  it,  and  to-morrow  a  train  goes  to  Vera 
Cruz.  I  have  more  hopes  of  your  getting  this, 
unless  it  would  furnish  more  satisfaction  to  the 
bandits  than  I  trust  it  will  to  you.  In  my 
letter  to  father  I  have  given  all  that  I  thought 
might  be  interesting  up  to  my  arrival  here  ;  now 
I    will    tell  you  of  some  of  the  sights  already 

95 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

seen.  In  the  first  place,  I  hope  you  have  seen 
Mr.  Poinsett's  or  Waddy  Thompson's  notes  on 
this  country,  as  it  would  help  me  very  much,  or 
rather  make  my  statements  more  credible.  We 
arrived  here  on  the  15th,  and  after  displaying 
our  ragged  selves  to  the  natives  and  receiving  an 
occasional  shout,  from  a  still  more  ragged  urchin, 
of  "  valiente  Americanos,"  who  immediately  dis- 
appeared amid  the  kicks  and  blows  of  two  others, 
we  were  ordered  to  our  quarters.  This  was  a 
barrack  recently  occupied  by  the  second  bat- 
talion of  their  troops,  a  modern  building  after 
the  style  of  many  of  our  own.  In  this  we 
only  stayed  a  day  or  two,  when  we  were  re- 
moved to  a  nunnery  not  occupied  since  1825. 
This  was  a  very  large  building  attached  to  a 
still  larger  church,  or  rather  the  wings  of  the 
church,  which  had  never  been  completed.  You 
can  imagine  something  of  its  size  when  I  tell 
you  we  had  two  regiments  of  foot  troops  and  a 
battery  with  all  their  horses  quartered  in  it,  and 
it  was  only  two  stories  in  height.  It  was  proba- 
bly built  not  long  after  Cortez'  conquest,  and 
after  the  style  then  in  vogue  in  Spain ;  at  least, 
no  labor  was  spared,  and  the  materials — brick  and 
stone  —  were  close  at  hand.  You  know  it  was  the 
fashion  in  those  days  to  bring  in  all  persons  that 
they  could  make  use  of,  keep  them  as  long  as 

96 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

wanted,  and  then  turn  them  loose.  It  was  in 
this  way  that  they  were  enabled  to  build  all  those 
splendid  buildings  that  are  still  the  admiration 
of  all  visitors  ;  but  Httle  money  changed  hands 
except  to  those  citizens  that  came  from  Spain. 
Directly  in  front  of  this  is  the  Alameda,  a  prin- 
cipal public  work.  It  is  a  large  square  with  fine 
shade-trees,  very  thick,  and  on  the  outer  side  a 
carriageway,  and  walks  with  several  fountains, 
around  which  are  stone  seats  where  the  upper 
"ten  thousand"  assemble  to  smoke  their  cigar- 
ettes, etc. ;  and  at  almost  any  time  any  number  of 
carriages  and  horsemen  are  seen  driving  around, 
and  previous  to  our  coming  the  "  canaille  "  were 
not  permitted  to  enter  it.  We  were  removed  to 
this  place  in  order  to  make  room  for  General 
Twiggs'  troops.  This  is  very  much  in  the  same 
style;  we  occupy  one  floor  of  one  wing  with  our 
five  hundred  men,  and  the  lower  story  is  gen- 
erally occupied  for  stables.  The  building  stands 
upon  arches  in  the  form  of  a  square,  the  center 
of  which  is  a  courtyard  ;  the  masonry  is  generally 
very  rough,  floors  either  brick  or  stone,  and 
very  little  woodwork  about  them,  roofs  flat  and 
covered  with  cement.  This  is  very  much  the 
style  of  all  the  buildings  here ;  there  are  few 
modern  ones.  The  cathedral  is  perhaps  the  most 
splendid   building  on   the   continent.     All   the 

97 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

magnificence  of  Aladdin's  cavern  or  "  Arabian 
Nights'  "  history  does  barely  equal  the  reality 
here.  It  is  said  to  have  cost  six  millions  of  dol- 
lars, and  I  should  think  could  not  have  cost  less. 
Chandeliers  weighing  hundreds  of  pounds  of  pure 
silver,  the  railing  around  the  altars  the  same, 
pictures  in  frames  of  gold,  inscriptions  in  letters 
there  can  be  no  mistake  in,  and  everything  in  a 
style  of  magnificence  you  have  no  conception 
of  When  we  arrived  I  have  no  doubt  but 
there  were  seventy-five  thousand  persons  look- 
ing at  us  —  an  anomaly  in  the  history  of  all  war, 
to  see  a  force  of  less  than  five  thousand  soldiers 
take  possession  of  a  city  of  nearly  one  hundred 
thousand  people,  and  with  more  wealth  than  the 
whole  State  of  Connecticut  —  by  this  I  mean  in 
gold  and  silver.  It  is  probable  we  shall  move 
in  the  course  of  a  month  for  the  "  Halls." 
There  is  but  little  said  about  peace,  but  every- 
body agrees  that  things  look  very  much  like  it. 
The  peace  party  is  on  the  increase.  Santa  Anna 
has  resigned,  and  the  report  is  that  Almonte  is 
in  prison ;  he  has  been  one  of  the  most  hos- 
tile of  any  of  their  public  men,  and  if  this  be 
true  it  looks  encouraging.  I  am  in  excellent 
health,  never  better,  and  enjoying  all  the  luxu- 
ries that  you  have  at  the  North,  and  many  that 
you  have  not.    Ice,  ice-creams, —  think  of  that  in 

98 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

this    latitude  !  —  bananas,    pineapples,   oranges, 
and  many  other  kinds  of  fruit  1  never  heard  of 
before   I  came  here.      Remember  me  to  all  my 
friends,  and  I  know  you  will  not  forget 
Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Convent  San  Francisco, 
PuEBLA,  Mexico,  June  i6,  1B47. 

My  dear  sister : 

I  wrote  you  about  a  week  since,  but  no  op- 
portunity has  yet  occurred  for  sending  it,  yet  I 
suppose  some  means  will  be  found  soon.  In  the 
last  Mexican  papers  are  copious  extracts  from 
letters  from  the  States,  from  all  sorts  of  people, 
fathers,  brothers,  wives,  sweethearts,  etc.,  having 
been  captured  after  leaving  Vera  Cruz.  Among 
them  are  two  from  Mrs.  Childs,  wife  of  Colo- 
nel Childs,  who  distinguished  himself  at  Cerro 
Gordo.  Information  has  been  received  of  the 
landing  and  advance  of  General  Cadwalader 
with  reinforcements,  consisting  of  portions  of 
the  new  regiments  and  recruits,  and  they  will 
probably  join  us  in  the  course  of  a  week.  Soon 
after  a  forward  movement  will  take  place  (it  is 
supposed),  for  you  must  know  that  all  is  mystery 
to  those  to  be  engaged,  until  the  moment  the 

99 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

movement  is  to  take  place.  You  will  wonder 
what  this  is  for ;  but  it  has  never  been  discovered, 
unless  it  is  to  increase  the  confusion.  Secrecy 
was  supposed  to  be  the  great  element  in  the 
success  of  Napoleon,  and  he  must  be  imitated 
by  all  great-little  men.  Amongst  these  I  do 
not  mean  to  include  General  Scott,  for  I  look 
upon  him  as  one  of  the  great  men  of  the  day, 
and  it  would  be  the  greatest  misfortune  to  this 
army  if  anything  should  befall  him.  From  all 
reports,  the  enemy  intend  to  make  a  stand  this 
side  of  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  have  already 
collected  a  large  force  to  oppose  us  :  but  the 
larger  it  is  the  more  disastrous  it  will  be  for 
them ;  for  with  our  well-appointed  army,  and 
the  enthusiasm  existing  in  it,  no  force,  however 
large,  can,  in  my  opinion,  stand  against  us.  Yet 
I  may  be  mistaken,  and  the  next  action  may  tell 
a  different  story.  If  so,  you  may  hear  of  our 
arrival  at  Vera  Cruz  sooner  than  you  expect. 
Nobody  talks  of  peace  now.  Campaigning 
here  is  altogether  a  different  thing  from  what 
it  is  on  the  Rio  Grande.  You  can  scarcely 
imagine  the  delightful  climate  here.  I  have 
been  told  that  the  thermometer  does  not  change 
ten  degrees  in  a  year.  Yet  this  I  hardly  be- 
lieve ;  but  it  is  certainly  most  delicious  at  this 
time.     No   extreme    heat,   no    sudden    changes 

lOO 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

that  you  experience  at  the  North.  The  sun 
comes  out  warm  and  bright  in  the  morning,  and 
at  this  season  (which  is  called  the  rainy  one) 
showers  come  up  in  the  afternoon,  and  after  they 
are  over  you  have  the  same  mild  temperature 
as  before.  The  nights  are  cool,  and  fine  for 
sleep.  It  is  not  unusual  in  the  morning  to  see 
the  mountains  covered  with  snow  within  a  few 
miles  distance  ;  although  at  greater  distances,  in 
every  direction,  they  are  perpetually  covered,  at 
the  base  of  which  vegetation  is  always  growing 
in  perfection.  General  Scott  arrived  here  about 
the  25th  of  last  month,  with  his  division  of  the 
army.  Previous  to  his  arrival  we  had  many 
reports  of  the  designs  of  the  enemy  either  to 
attack  us  or  to  get  between  us  and  cut  off  the 
second  division.  Fortunately  for  them  and  for 
us,  they  did  not  attempt  it.  But  on  the  very  day 
of  the  General's  arrival  this  report  was  received 
and  our  regiment  marched  out  to  meet  him,  and 
warn  or  assist,  as  the  case  might  be.  But  it 
proved  a  false  alarm,  and  we  had  the  pleasure  of 
doing  what  the  King  of  France  had  done  before, 
except  we  did  not  have  twice  ten  thousand  men 
"  to  march  up  the  hill  and  then  march  down 
again."  General  Scott's  arrival  quieted  everybody ; 
all  felt  safe  and  confident  in  the  discretion  and 
sound  judgment  of  the  hero  of '13  and  '14,  and 

lOI 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

in  the  gallantry  of  the  troops  at  Cerro  Gordo. 
The  cry  is  now  "  The  Halls  !  the  Halls  !"  — the 
Democrats  demand  it.     They  will  not  be  satis- 
fied unless  their  soldiers  have  one  revel  in  the 
"  Halls  of  the  Montezumas."     If  this  would  sat- 
isfy them  we  would  be  content,  in  a  week  we 
would  be  there,  but  with  all  our  hard  knocks  it 
does  not  seem  that  we  are  any  nearer  peace.      I 
forgot  to  tell  you  that  the  Lieutenant  Gibson 
that  died  at  Tampico  was  a  young  officer  that 
had  joined  the  regiment  but  a  few  months  pre- 
vious, and  not  my  old  friend  of  that  name.    He, 
however,  has   met  with  an    accident    that  will 
render   him  hors  de  combat   for   some   months. 
It  was  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  pistol,  the 
ball  passing  through  the  ankle,  coming  out  on 
the  opposite  side.    It  makes  it  still  more  severe 
after  having  undergone  the  fatigues  of  a  long 
march,  and  so  far  into  the  interior  as  to  render 
it  impossible  to  go  back  to  the  States.     Besides, 
it  is  very  different  campaigning  here  from  what 
it  is  on  the  Rio  Grande.     It  partakes  more  of 
the  civilized  way  of  carrying  on  war.     Here  the 
ladies'   eyes  are  almost  as   fatal   as   the  climate 
there.     OnQ'^ord.  (or  thtm.  en  passant :  generally 
speaking,  they  are  not  pretty,  but  have  fine  fig- 
ures, beautiful  glossy  hair,  liquid  eyes,  with  very 
small  hands  and  feet ;  but  with  all  these  beauties, 

I02 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

there  is  something  about  them  which  you  can- 
not fancy.  Their  manners  are  very  attractive, 
more  so  than  our  ladies ;  excessively  fond  of 
dress,  particularly  of  jewelry  ;  the  dress  is  much 
the  same  style  as  the  ladies  of  the  States,  ex- 
cepting a  bonnet  is  never  worn,  instead  of  which 
they  wear  a  long  shawl  (called  rebozd)  thrown 
over  the  head  and  held  under  the  chin,  some- 
times thrown  back  when  they  have  a  handsome 
pair  of  earrings  to  display,  but  that  is  a  weak- 
ness many  ladies  have.  Probably  my  next  will 
be  from  Mexico  ;  but  who  knows  ?  Whether 
here  or  there,  believe  me. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

PuEBLA,  Mexico,  July  lo,  1847. 

My  dear  father : 

Some  time  yesterday  I  received  your  letters  of 
May  5th  and  27th,  one  from  Olive,  and  one  from 
Dr.  Gold,  and  in  all  of  them  I  am  greatly  re- 
joiced to  hear  of  your  continued  good  health. 
You  little  know  with  what  anxiety  I  look  for  let- 
ters, now  that  I  am  separated  so  far  from  you. 
Heretofore  I  have  felt  that  I  was  at  home,  or 
could  be  there  in  a  few  hours ;  now  I  have  not 
the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  a  letter  will  proba- 

103 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

bly  reach  you.  This  was  one  reason  for  requesting 
Captain  Swartwout  to  drop  you  a  line  to  inform 
you  that  the  siege  was  over,  and  with  so  httle 
loss  to  our  troops.  If  I  had  had  half  an  hour, 
I  should  have  written  myself.  Captain  Swartwout 
is  my  Captain,  and  a  very  high-minded  officer  and 
gentlemen,  with  whom  I  have  always  had  the 
most  pleasant  intercourse.  He  left  Vera  Cruz 
the  day  our  troops  first  took  possession  of  the 
town.  I  was  left  at  our  old  encampment  till  the 
next  day,  and  on  coming  to  town  I  learned,  some- 
what to  my  surprise,  that  he  had  gone.  I  knew 
that  he  had  applied  and  expected  to  go  but  did 
not  think  of  going  till  the  army  marched  into  the 
interior,  as  his  health  was  not  such  as  to  endure 
the  fatigues  of  a  campaign.  As  to  my  punctuality 
in  writing,  he  ought  to  know  something  about 
it,  as  I  have  had  two  long,  interesting  letters  from 
him  since  he  left,  neither  of  which  have  I  an- 
swered. I  think  he  may  well  complain,  as  I  am 
now  in  his  company,  and  probably  shall  be  dur- 
ing the  war.  All  is  conjecture  as  to  the  prospect 
of  peace.  You  probably  know  that  Mr.  Trist  is 
now  here,  ready  to  enter  into  negotiations ;  and 
the  report  was  last  week  —  and  it  was  generally 
believed  —  that  some  overtures  had  been  made, 
but  they  appeared  to  have  died  away,  although 
some  still  believe  that  negotiations  are  now  going 

104 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

on.  I  wish  I  could,  for  one.  If  such  is  the  case, 
it  is  going  on  very  quietly.  With  yesterday's 
mail  came  large  reinforcements  under  Generals 
Pillow  and  Cadwalader, —  upwards  of  four  thou- 
sand men.  General  Pierce  is  on  the  road  with 
twenty-five  hundred  men  ;  this  will  make  our 
force  upwards  of  twelve  thousand, —  enough,  if 
they  are  all  effective  ;  but  the  casualties  that  are 
continually  taking  place  soon  reduce  an  army  in 
the  field.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  sickness  here, 
but  nothing  serious, — diseases  that  are  common 
to  a  camp  continually  changing,  but  seldom 
proving  fatal.  The  detachments  just  arrived 
had  several  skirmishes  on  the  road,  and  lost,  in 
all  of  them,  seventy  men  killed  and  wounded ; 
many  of  the  wounded  are  already  fit  for  duty. 
As  I  have  written  you  before,  the  climate  here  is 
delightful.  We  live  in  sight  of  perpetual  snow, 
and  that  in  every  direction ;  or,  as  some  more 
poetical  genius  said,  "The  people  live  in  eternal 
spring,  and  can  throw  a  cannon  ball  into  regions 
of  perpetual  snow."  To-morrow  our  brigade 
leaves  here  to  occupy  a  pass  some  twenty  miles 
back,  said  to  be  now  occupied  by  a  few  Mexicans 
who  intend  to  annoy  General  Pierce.  We  shall 
return  with  him,  and,  it  is  thought,  a  forward 
movement  will  soon  after  be  made.  If,  after  our 
occupying  the  city,  peace  does  not  follow  on  im- 

105 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

mediately,  I  think  the  Mexican  nation  is  doomed, 
but  I  have  no  desire  to  remain  here  to  see  that ; 
yet  I  think  it  not  only  for  their  benefit,  but  for 
all  nations,  that  such  should  be  the  result.  With 
a  climate  the  most  delicious,  and  a  soil  the  most 
fruitful,  it  is  so  sadly  neglected  as  to  barely  fur- 
nish the  common  necessaries  of  life.  The  only 
luxuries  —  or  what  we  call  comforts  —  are  fur- 
nished by  foreigners,  mostly  Frenchmen,  and 
these  at  such  exorbitant  prices  that  few  can  afford 
them.  The  only  pride  that  they  appear  to  take 
is  in  their  horses  and  riding.  This  they  bring  to 
perfection ;  when  two  ride  on  the  same  horse, 
the  usual  way  is,  the  lady  rides  in  front  on  the 
contrary  side  from  our  ladies,  the  gentleman 
behind  holding  the  rein  in  his  left  hand,  his  arm 
supporting  the  lady.  The  carriages  are  generally 
of  American  manufacture,  but  meaner  and  more 
clumsy  than  ours,  drawn  by  two  mules,  with  pos- 
tillions and  servant  behind ;  sometimes  five  or 
six  mules  are  used.  Their  diligences  or  coaches 
are  drawn  by  eight, —  two  on  the  tongue,  then 
four  abreast,  then  two  to  lead,  with  a  postillion 
on  the  near  wheel  mule  and  near  leading  one. 
They  move  regularly  between  this  and  Mexico, 
but  not  between  this  place  and  Vera  Cruz,  proba- 
bly because  we  might  make  use  of  them  in  send- 
ing despatches,  etc.  The  roads  are  now  so  infested 

io6 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

with  robbers  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get 
any  one  to  risk  the  attempt.  Several  have  been 
shot  in  the  undertaking.  Now  the  only  ones 
employed  are  the  most  notorious  robbers,  who, 
as  they  cannot  get  as  much  by  carrying  the 
despatches  to  their  own  government,  prove  faith- 
ful. Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Tacubaya, 
Five  Miles  from  the  City  of  Mexico, 

August  23,  1847. 
My  dear  father : 

The  news  has  probably  reached  you  before 
this  will  of  the  great  battle  that  has  been  fought 
in  front  of  the  gates  of  Mexico,  and  that  our 
arms  have  again  by  the  help  of  God  been  tri- 
umphant. I  will  now  go  back  to  Puebla  and 
give  you  a  short  history  of  our  march  and  an 
imperfect  idea  of  the  battle.  We  left  Puebla  on 
the  9th  instant,  and  for  the  first  two  days  no- 
thing particular  happened.  The  country  was 
open  and  rich  and  gently  ascending.  On  the 
third  day  we  reached  the  top  of  the  mountain 
that  divides  the  two  cities  from  the  valleys  that 
surround  them  and  from  which  they  take  their 
names.  Here  we  found  that  works  had  been 
erected  to  stop  the  further  progress  of  our  ad- 

107 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

vance,  but  had  been  abandoned  for  stronger 
positions  nearer  the  city,  from  which  they  must 
draw  all  their  supplies.  We  encamped  this 
night  on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  ten  thousand 
five  hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  The  air  here 
was  so  rarified  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty 
that  a  person  could  breathe,  and  almost  every 
one  felt  a  pressure  or  pain  in  the  head.  From 
this  point  we  commenced  descending  rapidly, 
and  after  a  few  hours'  march  the  luxurious  valley 
of  Mexico  burst  upon  us,  lying  nearly  five  thou- 
sand feet  below  us  and  at  a  distance  of  about 
twenty  miles.  You  can  imagine  how  rapid  the 
descent  was.  After  reaching  the  valley  we 
came  up  with  one  division  that  had  preceded 
us  by  one  day  —  General  Twiggs'.  There  the 
roads  branched,  one  going  direct,  which  General 
Twiggs  had  taken,  until  he  had  reached  their 
guns  ;  this  was  called  Penon  Grande  and  was 
supposed  to  be  their  strongest  work.  In  front 
of  this  work  he  encamped,  as  if  the  intention 
was  to  force  it.  Worth's  division  went  to  the 
left  to  a  small  town  named  Chalco.  Our  divi- 
sion was  still  behind  —  could  select  its  position 
at  either  place.  From  the  cross-roads  Lake 
Chalco  extends  to  the  city,  and  it  was  reported 
and  believed  that  the  side  we  had  taken  was 
impracticable   for  anything  but  infantry.     The 

io8 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

next  day  reconnoissances  were  commanded  ;  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men  were  selected  for  their 
endurance,  to  push  on  and  see  how  far  it  could 
be  penetrated.  I,  with  fifty  men  of  our  regi- 
ment, was  of  this  command.  We  went  fourteen 
miles  and  returned  the  same  day.  The  com- 
manding officer  reported  the  road  as  practicable, 
and  urged  strongly  that  the  whole  army  should 
take  this  route.  The  next  day  the  whole  army 
was  put  in  motion,  Twiggs'  division  was  re- 
called, the  others  moved  up,  and  ours  pushed 
ahead.  The  first  two  days  we  went  only  about 
four  miles  further  than  we  had  been  before ; 
here  we  met  the  enemy's  advanced  guards  and 
obstacles  in  the  road,  immense  rocks  rolled  in, 
ditches  dug  across,  etc.  The  next  day  there 
was  skirmishing  during  the  whole  day,  the  hills 
were  lined  with  irregular  troops,  and  together 
with  driving  them  and  clearing  the  road  for  our 
guns  and  wagons,  we  had  advanced  only  a  few 
miles.  We  stopped  at  a  small  town  called  San 
Augustin,  drove  a  few  troops  out,  and  found 
that  many  citizens  had  retired  to  this  place  from 
Mexico  for  safety.  Santa  Anna  had  been  here 
three  days,  was  concentrating  his  army  and 
bringing  his  guns  from  Penon  Grande  to  oppose 
us,  but  had  evidently  been  disconcerted  by  our 
movement.      His   works    had  all   been  erected, 

109 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

and  everything  that  could  be  foreseen  pre- 
pared, but  he  had  evidently  thought  that  General 
Scott  would  force  the  Peiion.  Our  troops  were 
now  rapidly  coming  up,  engineers  were  out  in 
all  directions  reconnoitering,  and  things  were 
evidently  coming  to  a  crisis  fast.  Everybody 
was  in  the  highest  spirits,  perfectly  certain  of  the 
result :  one  reason  was  because  General  Scott 
was  with  us,  directing  everything.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  1 8th  our  division  marched  out  and 
we  planted  ourselves  in  front  of  the  batteries 
of  San  Antonio.  Two  or  three  officers  went 
out  to  look  at  a  battery,  when  a  ball  came, 
killing  Captain  Thornton  of  the  dragoons  and 
wounding  one  man.  This  was  the  first  gun  of 
the  fight,  and  it  cast  a  gloom  over  the  whole 
camp.  Nothing  was  done  this  day,  the  enemy 
occasionally  firing  a  shot,  but  doing  no  injury. 
At  the  same  time,  other  divisions  were  placing 
themselves  in  position  to  attack  other  batteries. 
On  the  19th,  as  General  Twiggs  was  taking  his 
position,  a  heavy  fire  was  opened  upon  him  from 
a  battery  of  twenty-two  guns.  His  orders  were 
to  storm  that  battery,  whilst  a  brigade  of  our 
division  was  drawn  out  to  amuse  the  enemy  and 
prevent  them  from  sending  reinforcements.  He 
did  not  make  his  arrangements  till  the  next 
morning,  when  the  attack  was  made  and  forced 

no 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

in  a  few  minutes,  capturing  all  their  guns,  taking 
several  hundred  prisoners,  and  killing  upwards 
of  five  hundred  men;  and  all  this  with  but  little 
loss  on  our  side  —  less  than  fifty  men  in  killed 
and  wounded.  Whilst  this  was  going  on,  our 
division  was  comparatively  idle,  and  we  had  the 
most  alarming  reports  that  we  had  been  de- 
feated, could  not  carry  the  work,  etc.  This  was 
partly  confirmed  by  the  enemy  rejoicing  in  front 
of  us  :  they  were  cheering,  blowing  trumpets,  and 
beating  drums  all  night  on  the  19th.  Early  on 
the  morning  of  the  20th  (the  morning  the  bat- 
tery was  carried),  our  brigade  was  ordered  to  the 
support  of  General  Twiggs,  but  found  that  we 
had  it  all  our  own  way.  We  were  then  ordered 
back  to  force  the  batteries  of  San  Antonio. 
This  was  done  in  a  few  minutes ;  their  guns 
were  taken  and  they  were  driven  from  all  their 
positions  and  pursued  to  a  place  called  San 
Pablo,  where  they  made  their  last  and  desperate 
stand.  Here  their  works  were  strong,  and  their 
forces,  after  being  joined  by  those  defeated  by 
General  Twiggs  and  our  division,  amounted  to 
thirty  thousand  strong.  The  two  divisions 
met  and  decided  to  attack  them  before  their 
panic  was  over.  This  was  done,  and  with  such 
impetuosity  that  we  carried  all  their  works,  cap- 
turing their  guns,  ammunition,  and  dispersing 

III 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

their  entire  army.  This  was  done  in  a  little 
more  than  two  hours,  and  with  about  two  thirds 
of  our  own  force  (six  thousand  men),  I  have 
thus  given  the  general  result,  and  have  room  to 
add  but  little  more.  Our  loss  has  been  great  — 
very  great.  Our  regiment  lost  nearly  one  third 
of  its  number ;  my  company,  every  sergeant, 
two  corporals,  and  two  privates.  Total  loss  is 
not  yet  known,  but  is  supposed  to  be  about 
eleven  hundred  in  killed  and  wounded.  I  thank 
God  that  I  am  yet  spared,  although  I  had  a 
narrow  escape. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Tacubaya,  Mexico,  August  28,  1847. 

My  dear  sister : 

I  have  just  written  father,  giving  some  inci- 
dents of  the  march  from  Puebla,  also  the  final 
result  of  the  battle  of  the  20th  instant.  We  are 
now  at  a  small  town  three  miles  from  the  same 
"  Halls  "  that  we  have  all  heard  so  much  about, 
with  no  obstacle  to  prevent  our  entering  and 
having  the  "  Revels  "  that  we  have  heard  equally 
as  much  of;  but  political  considerations  have  de- 
cided General  Scott  not  to  enter  yet.  Negotia- 
tions are  now  going  on,  and  it  is  fervently  hoped 

112 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

with  sincerity  on  both  sides.  I  do  think  we  have 
blood  enough  spilled  to  satisfy  the  most  avari- 
cious. I  have  just  heard  of  the  death  of  one  of 
the  most  promisingyoung  officersin  the  service, — 
died  of  wounds  received  in  the  action.  One  of 
my  men  also  died  last  night.  I  lost,  during  this 
conflict,  my  sergeants,  two  corporals  out  of  three, 
and  eight  privates,  and  nearly  one  third  of  my 
regiment  is  cut  down.  It  seems  a  wonderful  in- 
terposition that  we  were  not  all  cut  down.  History 
does  not  furnish  a  parallel  when  less  than  ten 
thousand  men  (and  of  those  not  more  than  seven 
thousand)  attacked,  with  the  bayonet,  an  army 
of  about  thirty  thousand  men,  strongly  in- 
trenched. General  Scott  says  :  "  I  am  an  idiot  to 
bring  artillery  so  far,  and  at  such  an  expense, 
when  I  have  such  soldiers."  After  the  fight  was 
over,  I  was  with  others  detailed  to  go  for  the 
wounded.  In  passing  over  the  battle-ground, 
General  Scott  and  staff  rode  up.  The  soldiers 
welcomed  him  with  shouts  and  cheers.  After 
they  had  become  silent,  so  that  he  could  speak, 
he  said,  with  a  good  deal  of  feeling :  "  I  thank 
Almighty  God  for  this  glorious  and  brilliant  vic- 
tory,—  not  only  for  the  glory  conferred  upon  our 
arms,  but  for  the  honor  of  our  beloved  country ; 
and  I  thank  you,  my  brave  soldiers,"  etc.  The 
rest  I  do  not  remember,  but  it  was  well  calculated 

113 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

to  inspire  the  soldiers.  He  has  entirely  won  the 
affection  and  confidence  of  every  officer  and  sol- 
dier in  this  army.  You  will  continually  be  hear- 
ing some  one  say,  "  General  Scott  says  so,  and  it 
must  be  right."  Among  the  prisoners  are  about 
sixty  American  deserters, —  deserted  from  Cor- 
pus Christi  and  Matamoras.  A  court-martial 
is  now  in  session,  trying  them.  It  is  possible 
some  of  them  will  be  shot, —  enough  to  make  an 
example.  Our  soldiers  are  highly  exasperated 
against  them,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  they  could 
be  restrained  from  killing  them  after  they  had 
surrendered.  Many  were  killed  rather  than  sur- 
render. Our  greatest  loss  was  occasioned  by 
them.  They  were  in  a  work,  and  fought  with  the 
greatest  desperation,  knowing  that  little  mercy 
was  due  them  if  taken.  None  of  our  officers  have 
yet  been  in  the  city,  but  I  understand  an  oppor- 
tunity will  be  given  them  before  long ;  the  peo- 
ple at  home  expect  and  demand  it,  but  if  it 
delayed  or  disturbed  negotiations,  I  would  wil- 
lingly yield  my  wishes  of  gratifying  my  curiosity 
or  to  satisfy  the  people.  I  think  the  people,  if 
J.  K.  Polk  represents  them,  have  treated  the 
army  most  shabbily.  It  is  believed  now  that  the 
army  will  soon  be  on  its  way  home.  It  is  known 
that  commissioners  are  in  session  to  adjust 
terms,  and  it  is  hoped  that  they  will  come  to  some 

114 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

arrangement.  Notwithstanding  the  climate  here 
is  delightful,  and  all  the  fruits  the  earth  grows 
are  here,  yet  it  is  not  the  States.  Many  officers 
here  have  been  absent  about  two  years  from  their 
families,  and  the  anxiety  they  have  suffered  is 
beyond  calculation.  The  prospect  now  brightens 
for  their  wishes  to  be  realized.  I  hope  we  shall 
not  be  disappointed.  Since  I  have  written  this 
much,  everybody  is  cheered  with  the  belief  that 
negotiations  are  going  on  encouragingly,  and  all 
are  in  high  spirits,  and  would  willingly  give  up 
the  idea  of  visiting  the  city  if  it  delayed  negotia- 
tions one  hour.  During  the  action  our  colors 
received  a  twenty-four-pound  shot  and  numerous 
balls ;  the  bearer  fell,  and  the  colors  were  seized 
and  carried  by  one  of  my  corporals.  As  we  were 
about  to  mount  the  enemy's  work  the  corporal 
said :  "  Lieutenant,  shall  I  shake  out  the  colors 
and  let  them  see  who  are  after  them  ?  "  I  said  : 
"Yes."  But  soon  after  they  were  in  full  flight. 
Our  regiment,  with  the  6th  infantry,  were  the 
first  in  pursuit,  and  followed  them  nearly  to  the 
gates  of  the  city.  During  the  hottest  part  of  the 
action.  General  Worth  said  to  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  brigade:  "It  is  reported  that  your 
brigade  is  giving  way."  One  of  the  staff  officers 
said  :  "  I  have  just  come  from  them  ;  the  2d  ar- 
tillery are  in  advance,  and  driving  the  enemy  be- 

115 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

fore  them.  Not  a  man  has  fallen  back,  though 
they  have  lost  many  men."  This  was  the  case 
with  all  the  regiments ;  none  had  gone  back. 
To  enable  you  to  understand  the  organization : 
General  Scott  is  commander-in-chief;  the  army 
is  divided  into  four  divisions,  each  commanded 
by  a  Major-General;  each  division  into  two  or 
more  brigades,  commanded  by  a  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral. Each  brigade  is  composed  of  three  or  four 
regiments,  battery,  and  squadron  of  cavalry.  I 
have  just  seen  a  list  of  the  captured  property. 
It  consists  of  more  guns,  small  arms,  and  am- 
munition than  we  have  in  the  country.  The 
ordnance  officer  told  me  he  had  destroyed  one 
million  of  cartridges,  and  still  kept  enough  to 
supply  us  for  any  campaign.  Thirty-seven  guns 
have  been  captured.  We  had  only  sixteen  ;  eight 
of  those  did  not  go  into  action.  Our  loss  has 
been  severe;  it  is  not  yet  known  how  many, — 
less  than  was  at  first  supposed  :  eleven  hundred. 
The  enemy's  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing 
is  reported  by  them  to  be  over  six  thousand ; 
over  seven  hundred  have  been  buried  by  our 
troops,  and  of  our  own  probably  not  two  hun- 
dred are  dead.  Yet  this  contrast  is  no  consola- 
tion to  the  friends  of  the  gallant  men  who  fell. 
I  was  afraid  to  inquire  who  was  killed  and  who 
wounded.     I  am  sure  to  hear  of  some  very  dear 

ii6 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

friends, —  some  that  had  passed  through  all  the 
actions  of  the  war,  and  have  been  cut  down  here. 
Major  Mills  from  New  Haven,  Connecticut, 
but  I  believe  connected  with  the  Kent  Mills, 
was  killed ;  he  belonged  to  the  levies.  Believe 
me.  Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

City  of  Mexico,  September  28,  1847. 

My  dear  Emily  : 

I  have  been  kindly  offered  an  opportunity  of 
sending  a  note  by  an  English  gentleman  who 
leaves  here  to-morrow  morning  for  Vera  Cruz. 
I  am  (thank  God)  in  excellent  health,  having 
escaped  the  perils  of  the  last  three  great  battles 
that  have  swept  off  many  of  my  dearest  and  most 
intimate  friends.  After  the  battle  of  the  20th 
of  August  an  armistice  was  entered  into,  and 
commissioners  appointed  to  arrange  the  terms 
of  a  treaty,  and  we  all  indulged  the  hope  that  a 
short  time  would  see  us  on  our  way  home.  But 
this  was  of  short  duration,  for  there  was  no  sin- 
cerity on  their  part ;  delay  was  their  object,  and 
they  were  every  day  violating  the  essential  terms 
of  the  armistice  in  adding  to  their  defenses  and 
receiving  reinforcements.  As  soon  as  General 
Scott  ascertained  this  beyond  a  doubt,  he  broke 

117 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

off  the  armistice,  and  made  his  arrangements 
for  entering  the  city.  This  was  on  the  6th  of 
September ;  on  the  yth  the  Mexican  army  was 
drawn  out  between  our  position  and  the  city  in 
a  very  strong  position,  their  right  resting  on 
MoHno  del  Rey,  their  left  extending  about  two 
miles,  resting  on  a  large  hacienda  and  a  ravine, 
and  all  under  the  fire  of  a  regular  fortification 
of  ten  guns.  General  Scott  had  received  false 
information  about  this  mill  being  a  foundry  at 
which  they  were  daily  casting  guns,  and  he  sup- 
posed that  their  army  was  drawn  out  to  cover  it, 
and,  determining  to  get  possession  of  it,  made 
his  dispositions  for  attack  on  the  morning  of  the 
8th,  Worth's  division  to  do  the  fighting,  to  be 
supported  by  General  Pillow  ;  the  whole  number 
not  one  half  our  force.  I  have  no  room  to  write 
particulars.  Suflice  it  to  say  that  we  attacked, 
broke  and  drove  off  the  whole  Mexican  army  — 
believed  to  be  from  ten  to  twelve  thousand 
strong  —  and  all  this  without  the  help  of  our  re- 
serve. Our  loss  was  very  severe, — greater  in  pro- 
portion than  that  of  the  English  at  Waterloo, — 
between  eight  and  nine  hundred  in  killed  and 
wounded.  Their  loss  was,  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing,  between  four  and  five  thousand;  it 
is  said  whole  regiments  dispersed.  We  took  one 
thousand  prisoners,  all  their  artillery,  and  great 

ii8 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

quantities  of  ammunition  —  do  not  understand 
that  we  took  the  fort  (Chapultepec),  as  no  attack 
was  made  on  it;  that  was  reserved  for  another  and 
more  glorious  day.  I  have  written  as  if  you  had 
received  all  information  about  the  previous  bat- 
tle, the  20th  of  August ;  and  no  doubt  you  have 
seen  many  accounts  in  the  papers,  some  tolerably 
correct,  others  all  lies.  Believe  not  one  half  you 
see.  On  the  iith  General  Scott,  having  made 
all  arrangements,  determined  to  bombard  the 
fort  the  next  day,  assault  it  early  on  the  morning 
of  the  13  th,  carry  all  their  works,  and  enter  the 
city.  This  was  done  exactly  as  he  had  arranged 
and  ordered ;  their  works  were  all  stormed  and 
taken,  their  whole  army  dispersed,  and  we  bi- 
vouacked that  night  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city. 
In  the  night  we  threw  a  few  bombs  into  the  city 
to  let  them  know  we  were  there,  but  before  morn- 
ing the  city  capitulated,  and  we  entered  the  next 
morning.  There  was  some  resistance  in  the 
streets  from  their  dispersed  soldiers,  but  nothing 
of  account ;  the  next  day  all  was  quiet,  and  in 
three  days  stores  were  opened  as  if  nothing  had 
happened.  Chapultepec  was  their  military  school, 
and  one  of  their  best  generals.  Bravo,  com- 
manded, who,  with  all  the  cadets,  was  cap- 
tured. We  are  now  in  the  "  Halls  of  the 
Montezumas,"  and  I  hope  the  good  people  are 

119 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

satisfied  with  the  sacrifice  it  has  cost  to  come 
here.  We  have  twenty-five  hundred  in  killed  and 
wounded, — three  hundred  more  than  General 
Taylor  had  at  Palo  Alto, — amongst  them  many 
of  the  bravest  of  our  officers  and  best  of  our 
soldiers  that  have  been  in  all  the  battles.  We 
are  now  more  comfortably  situated  than  we  ever 
have  been  before  since  the  war  commenced,  and 
were  it  not  that  we  are  cut  off  from  the  coast 
and  all  communications  with  our  friends,  would 
be  tolerably  happy.  Nobody  thinks  the  war 
over,  but  all  think  the  hard  fighting  is.  You 
will  not  think  me  vain  or  egotistic  when  I  tell 
you  that  I  have  been  flatteringly  noticed  by 
General  Worth  for  my  conduct  at  Molino  del 
Rey  and  on  the  13th,  all  of  which  you  may 
see  in  time.  I  have  written  from  time  to  time 
what  I  thought  might  be  interesting  to  you, 
which  I  will  send  on  the  first  opportunity.  Be- 
lieve me  to  be  ever 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

John  Sedgwick. 

City  of  Mexico,  October  i,  1847. 

My  dear  father : 

I  have  just  sent  a  note  by  the  English  courier 
through  the  kindness  of  a  friend,  trusting  you 

120 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

will  receive  it,  and,  if  so,  that  it  may  relieve  you 
of  any  anxiety  you  may  have  felt  for  my  safety. 
Believing  that  accounts  and  generally  exagger- 
ated news  will  get  to  the  States  of  such  impor- 
tant actions  as  have  recently  been  fought  near 
this  city,  I  was  very  anxious  till  I  sent  a  word 
to  relieve  you.  In  my  last  letter,  written  after 
the  action  of  August  20th,  I  gave  you  as  true  a 
narration  as  possible  of  such  events  as  fell  under 
my  own  observation  and  with  my  own  division 
(Worth's).  The  next  day  our  division  occu- 
pied the  small  town  of  Tacubaya,  about  three 
miles  from  the  city,  in  consequence  of  having 
received  propositions  from  Santa  Anna  for  sus- 
pending hostilities  to  enable  them  to  make  some 
definite  treaty  of  peace.  In  this  it  was  sup- 
posed that  they  were  sincere,  for  their  army  was 
completely  routed,  and  there  was  nothing  to 
prevent  us  from  entering  into  the  city  that 
night.  But  General  Scott  was  induced  to  hold 
back  by  representations  that  it  would  wound 
their  pride  and  drive  the  Government  out  if  he 
entered  it,  and  thereby  delay  any  chance  there 
was  for  peace.  Their  principal  fort  commanded 
the  town  of  Tacubaya,  and  General  Scott  in- 
sisted that  it  should  be  placed  in  his  possession. 
This  was  refused,  and  the  reason  given  was 
that   if  Santa  Anna   lost,  his   power  would   be 

121 


CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

gone,  as  it  was  believed  to  be  already  on  the 
decline.  To  this  reasoning  General  Scott  gave 
in,  as  he  did  not  wish  to  lose  a  shadow  of  a 
chance  to  secure  peace.  Things  remained  in 
this  way  till  the  6th  of  September,  when  the 
armistice  was  broken  off  and  hostilities  com- 
menced. In  the  meantime  commissioners  had 
been  appointed  and  were  in  daily  session  with 
Mr.  Trist,  and  everything  appeared  to  be  going 
on  smoothly,  and  we  were  all  rejoicing  that  we 
should  soon  be  on  our  way  home.  At  the  same 
time,  reports  were  in  circulation  that  they  were 
humbugging  us  ;  that  Santa  Anna  was  using  every 
exertion  to  organize  his  army,  and  was  strength- 
ening his  works.  Yet  General  Scott  could  not 
believe  in  such  duplicity.  But  on  the  6th  of 
September  he  had  such  undoubted  evidence  of 
it,  that  he  notified  Santa  Anna  that  in  twenty- 
four  hours  (the  condition  in  the  armistice)  hostili- 
ties would  commence.  So  well  had  Santa  Anna 
taken  his  measures  and  estimated  the  time  neces- 
sary, that  on  the  yth  he  drew  out  his  army  and 
took  a  strong  position  between  us  and  the  city, 
his  right  resting  on  a  strong  work  called  Molino 
del  Rey,  and  under  the  fire  of  the  work  before 
mentioned,  called  Chapultepec;  and  his  left,  ex- 
tending more  than  three  miles,  rested  on  a  large 
hacienda,   protected    by   an   impassable   ravine. 

122 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

General  Scott  had  been  told  that  this  mill  was  a 
foundry  from  which  they  were  daily  turning  out 
guns,  and  was  strengthened  in  this  opinion  from 
the  circumstance  of  their  occupying  it  with  all 
their  force.  He  then  deemed  the. destruction  of 
this  mill  highly  important.  He  did  not  wish  to 
bring  on  a  general  engagement,  as  he  had  not 
determined  on  which  road  he  should  force  his 
way  into  the  city.  He  intrusted  this  duty  to 
General  Worth,  to  be  supported  if  necessary  by 
General  Pillow  with  his  division  of  new  levies. 
General  Worth's  orders  were,  as  I  understand, 
to  drive  the  enemy  from  the  mill,  destroy  every- 
thing, and  retire.  The  attack  was  commenced 
at  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  by  the 
opening  of  our  large  guns,  and  after  a  few  dis- 
charges the  order  was  given  to  charge.  It  was 
now  pretty  well  ascertained  that  a  general  en- 
gagement had  to  be  fought  to  get  possession  of 
the  mill ;  and  to  retire  without  it  would  give 
them  all  the  moral  effect  of  a  victory,  and  ours 
that  of  a  defeat.  The  battle  lasted  for  more 
than  four  hours.  The  enemy,  knowing  that  only 
one  division  of  our  army  was  engaged,  stood 
better  than  they  ever  had  before,  but  were  finally 
obliged  to  give  way.  We  succeeded  in  driving 
them  from  every  position,  for  we  were  not  sat- 
isfied  with  the  mill  after  the  warm  blood  was 

123 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

up.  We  captured  all  their  guns,  took  one 
thousand  prisoners  and  a  great  quantity  of  am- 
munition. The  loss  on  our  side  was  irrepa- 
rable: many  of  our  most  gallant  officers  and  sol- 
diers fell.  I  had  a  very  narrow  escape  :  a  ball 
struck  me  on  the  shoulder  and  knocked  me 
down,  but  did  not  disable  me  for  a  minute.  An 
officer  of  my  regiment,  and  a  classmate,  was 
blown  up  in  the  magazine  after  the  fight  was 
over.  He  had  charge  of  renewing  the  ammu- 
nition, and  after  taking  most  of  it  out  he  asked 
permission  to  blow  up  the  rest,  which  was 
granted.  He  laid  the  train,  but  it  not  going 
off  as  soon  as  he  expected,  he  returned  to  see 
the  cause,  and  was  blown  up  with  it.  After 
gaining  possession  of  the  mill,  it  was  ascertained 
that  there  was  nothing  there  of  any  consequence 
to  the  enemy.  Some  old  molds  were  found 
that  had  been  formerly  used,  but  the  machinery 
had  all  been  removed  to  the  city.  All  this  time 
they  were  pouring  a  continual  fire  into  us  from 
Chapultepec,  but  doing  little  injury,  as  the  fort 
was  much  higher  than  our  position.  Having 
accomplished  everything,  we  returned  to  our 
position  at  Tacubaya.  Up  to  this  time  and 
subsequently,  although  lying  under  the  guns  of 
this  work,  they  did  not  fire  a  shot  at  us.  Hav- 
ing nearly  filled  my  sheet  with  this  battle,  I  will 

124 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

reserve  for  another  the  glorious  one  of  the  13th, 
the  day  on  which  the  Stars  and  Stripes  were 
first  hoisted  on  the  "Halls  of  the  Montezumas." 
I  will  now  relate  quite  an  incident,  and  a  very 
pleasant  one  to  me.  When  we  first  went  to 
Tacubaya,  our  regiment  was  quartered  near  a 
gentleman's  house  in  which  our  officers  were 
assigned  quarters.  We  found  an  old  gentleman 
and  his  family,  who  appeared  delighted  to  have 
us  there,  and  it  seemed  as  if  they  could  not  do 
enough  to  make  us  comfortable  ;  they  placed  all 
the  best  rooms  and  the  richest  of  furniture  at  our 
disposal,  and  when  our  wounded  were  brought 
in  they  had  all  the  servants  running  for  them. 
After  the  capture  of  the  city  our  regiment  was 
quartered  near  a  splendid  house  that  was  taken 
for  the  officers.  The  family  had  left  it  in  charge 
of  the  servants,  with  all  the  furniture,  etc.  After 
being  here  a  day  or  two,  we  ascertained  it  be- 
longed to  the  same  gentleman  that  we  had  lived 
with  at  Tacubaya,  and  the  next  day  brought  his 
son,  who  has  taken  a  room  and  devotes  his 
whole  time  to  making  it  agreeable  for  us.  All 
his  plate,  furniture,  and  servants  are  at  our  dis- 
posal. You  can  have  little  idea  of  the  extent 
of  a  gentleman's  house  and  the  number  of  his 
servants.  Such  a  house  has  a  large  court,  the 
lower  floor  for  stables  and  servants'  rooms,  the 

125 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

second  for  the  family.  In  a  few  they  have  a 
third  floor  for  bedrooms,  etc.  A  man  of  ordi- 
nary wealth  keeps  from  six  to  ten  servants ;  they 
are  paid  little  or  nothing,  and  they  are  the  best 
servants  in  the  world.  They  want  a  little  watch- 
ing, to  be  sure.  Who  will  not  say  that  this  is 
the  worst  slavery  in  the  world  ?  The  rich  are 
the  richest,  and  the  poor  are  the  poorest. 
Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

City  of  Mexico,  October  15,  1847. 

My  dear  father : 

I  will  now  give  you  a  short  detail  of  the  op- 
erations of  the  1 2th  and  13th  of  September, 
that  brought  us  into  the  city.  From  the  in- 
tercepted letters  published  soon  after  the  battle 
of  the  20th  of  August  you  will  perceive  the  de- 
pressed feeling  that  existed  in  all  classes  in  the 
city,  and  how  easy  it  would  have  been  for  Gen- 
eral Scott  to  have  marched  his  army  into  the 
city  on  the  21st;  but  various  considerations  deter- 
mined him  to  wait,  and  give  time  for  the  Mexi- 
can government  to  reflect,  before  we  took  pos- 
session of  their  capital.  In  my  last  I  gave  you 
the  history  of  the  breaking  of  the  armistice, 
and  of  the  battle  of  Molino  del  Rey,  fought  on 

126 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

the  8th  of  September.  After  the  battle  General 
Scott  had  not  fully  decided  by  which  route  he 
should  enter  the  city,  either  to  take  Chapulte- 
pec,  or  a  road  near  Churubusco,  where  the  first 
battle  was  fought.  He  sent  a  brigade  to  occupy 
the  latter  position,  and  determined  to  storm  the 
former.  On  the  night  of  the  nth  three  bat- 
teries (heavy  guns)  were  erected,  ready  to  open 
early  in  the  morning.  I  was  sent,  with  fifty 
men  and  two  small  guns,  to  protect  one  of 
these  batteries,  and  was  kept  there  till  the  attack 
was  made.  The  batteries  kept  up  an  incessant 
fire  all  day  the  12th,  and  opened  again  early  on 
the  13th.  The  firing  was  returned  from  the 
fort,  but  no  effort  was  made  to  take  our  guns, 
consequently  I  had  nothing  to  do.  About 
seven  o'clock,  the  13th,  I  was  ordered  to  join 
my  regiment,  then  about  to  take  a  position 
preparatory  to  the  attack.  This  position  was 
behind  Molino  del  Rey,  and  the  brigade  of 
which  my  regiment  formed  a  part  was  to  pursue 
the  enemy  as  soon  as  driven  from  the  hill.  The 
fort  stands  on  a  hill  surrounded  by  large  trees. 
About  eight  o'clock  two  or  three  regiments  de- 
ployed and  drove  in  their  light  troops,  the  bat- 
teries at  the  same  time  keeping  up  a  lively  fire 
on  the  fort,  and,  as  we  afterwards  found,  with 
great  effect.     The  storming  party  then  pushed 

127 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

forward,  with  scaling-ladders,  and  in  twenty 
minutes  took  possession  of  the  hill,  capturing 
all  their  troops,  cannon,  and  munitions  of  war. 
Amongst  the  prisoners  was  General  Bravo, 
their  most  distinguished  leader,  who  commanded 
them.  This  was  one  of  the  finest  sights  ever 
seen,  and  one  of  the  handsomest  exploits  of  the 
war.  Upwards  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  the 
enemy  were  killed  and  buried  on  the  hill.  Our 
loss  was  only  twenty-seven  killed.  We  took  ten 
guns  and  seven  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners.  As 
soon  as  the  hill  was  taken  the  whole  army  started 
in  pursuit,  except  the  regiment  left  in  the  fort.  It 
was  here  that  Colonel  Ransom  of  the  New  Eng- 
land regiment  was  killed.  From  this  place  there 
are  two  causeways  leading  to  the  city.  We  pur- 
sued the  enemy  so  close,  and  their  panic  was  now 
so  great,  that  they  abandoned  their  works  till  we 
arrived  near  the  gate  where  they  had  a  strong 
work,  but  defended  by  infantry  alone.  By  this 
time  our  men  thought  themselves  invincible, 
and  dashed  at  them,  and  in  a  few  moments  drove 
them  out  with  the  bayonet.  After  pursuing  about 
half  a  mile,  we  found  ourselves  within  reach 
of  the  guns  at  the  gate  of  the  city,  and  they, 
opening  at  the  same  time,  obliged  us  to  take 
cover  while  the  position  could  be  reconnoitered. 
After  some  delay,  light  troops  were  put  on  each 

128 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

side  to  attack  the  main  body  gradually  approach- 
ing by  the  main  road.  At  about  sunset  the 
main  charge  was  made,  the  guns  captured,  and 
the  first  division  was  inside  the  gates  of  the 
city.  The  troops  were  halted  and  kept  under 
arms.  In  the  course  of  the  night  heavy  guns 
were  brought  up  and  opened  upon  the  city, 
which  soon  brought  out  a  deputation  who  said 
that  the  Mexican  forces  were  leaving  the  city, 
and  that  no  resistance  would  be  made,  at  the 
same  time  wanting  to  make  terms.  General 
Scott  told  them  that  he  would  be  at  the  palace 
the  next  morning,  and  would  there  dictate 
terms.  Our  loss  was  small  till  we  reached  the 
guns  in  front  of  the  gate  of  the  city.  At  this 
last  affair  I  had  command  of  my  regiment, 
all  the  seniors  (three)  having  been  sent  off 
on  detached  duty.  The  other  divisions  were 
not  so  successful ;  their  loss  was  much  greater. 
This  was  the  last  effort  made  by  the  army 
to  keep  us  out  of  the  city.  Santa  Anna  moved 
his  army  out  three  miles  to  a  strong  work, 
Guadalupe,  ready  to  take  any  advantage  that 
might  occur  to  fall  back  and  try  his  luck 
again.  On  the  14th  there  was  firing  from  the 
houses  all  day,  but  little  injury  done,  our 
soldiers  scattering  them  as  soon  as  they  could 
get  near  them,  and  by  night  all  was  quiet ;  and 

129 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

the  next  morning  some  lancers  rode  into  town  to 
endeavor  to  excite  the  people,  but  were  soon 
driven  out,  and  in  two  days  the  city  was  as  quiet 
as  if  nothing  had  happened.  Santa  Anna  left 
the  city  with  about  six  thousand  men,  but  it  is 
believed  that  most  of  them  are  at  this  time  dis- 
persed. When  we  left  Puebla  I  had  fifty-four 
men.  In  all  the  actions  I  have  lost,  in  killed 
and  wounded,  twenty-seven.  I  have  escaped 
wonderfully.  In  the  battle  of  August  20th  a 
ball  went  through  two  thicknesses  of  my  india- 
rubber  cloak,  and  at  MoHno  del  Rey  a  ball 
struck  me  on  the  shoulder,  knocking  me  down; 
but  I  looked  and  saw  that  my  coat  was  not 
cut,  and  concluded  that  I  could  not  be  badly 
hurt,  and  as  it  was  a  pretty  hot  place  I  thought 
it  best  to  get  out  of  it.  I  did  not  feel  the 
effects  of  the  ball  again  till  I  got  home,  when, 
to  make  sure,  I  pulled  off  my  shirt,  and 
found  my  shoulder  black  and  blue  and  grow- 
ing stiff.  On  the  13th,  at  the  gate,  my  first 
sergeant  was  badly  wounded  by  a  grape-shot, 
close  by  my  side,  my  drummer  killed,  and  I 
escaped.  It  is  beyond  a  doubt  that  we  cannot 
have  much  more  fighting.  The  action  of  Au- 
gust 20th  was  a  severe  one,  but  that  of  Septem- 
ber 8th,  at  Molino  del  Rey,  in  which  Worth's 

130 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

division,  three  thousand  strong,  attacked  and 
drove  from  their  position  the  whole  Mexican 
army,  and  that  from  under  the  fire  of  a  regular 
fortified  work,  has  no  parallel.  In  the  storming 
party,  out  of  fourteen  officers,  eleven  were  either 
killed  or  wounded ;  in  the  regiment  of  infantry 
(5th),  seven  officers  were  killed  out  of  fourteen  ; 
our  regiment  lost  one  officer  killed,  three 
wounded  —  one  of  the  wounded  since  dead. 
Two  of  them  were  very  intimate  friends  of  mine, 
one  a  classmate,  the  other  a  year  before  me.  The 
rank  and  file  of  the  regiment  have  suffered  se- 
verely since  we  entered  the  valley  of  Mexico,  a 
great  many  of  our  oldest  and  best  soldiers  hav- 
ing fallen.  But  we  have  accomplished  what  we 
were  sent  here  for,  and  I  hope  the  loss  has  been 
sufficiently  great  to  satisfy  the  most  bloodthirsty 
in  the  States.  We  are  now  enjoying  the  fruits 
of  our  victory,  and  if  we  only  had  the  gallant 
spirits  that  have  fallen,  back  with  us  to  enjoy 
them,  it  would  add  much  to  our  happiness. 
Troops  are  now  coming  that  will  enable  General 
Scott  to  keep  open  the  communication  with 
Vera  Cruz.  No  mail  has  yet  gone.  Rumor 
now  says  that  one  is  to  go  soon  ;  but  she  has 
lied  so  much  lately  that  she  cannot  be  believed. 
When  one  does  go  it  will  take  forty  letters  that 

131 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

I    have   already  written.      I    hope  you  will   be 
lucky  enough  to  receive  one. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

City  of  Mexico,  October  26,  1847. 

My  dear  sister : 

General  Scott  has  said  this  morning  that  a  mail 
shall  start  for  the  United  States  in  a  day  or  two, 
so  at  last  we  have  a  prospect  of  again  writing  to 
our  friends.  In  this  mail  I  shall  send  a  hundred 
letters  written  since  the  20th  of  June,  among 
them  a  series  to  our  dear  father  and  Emily,  giv- 
ing as  correct  an  account  of  our  march  from 
Puebla,  and  the  different  actions  fought  since  the 
army  entered  the  valley  of  Mexico,  as  it  was  pos- 
sible for  me.  I  hope  none  of  them  will  miscarry, 
as  they  have  cost  me  a  good  deal  of  time  in  writ- 
ing them  ;  and,  as  the  events  had  transpired  so 
recently  that  they  were  fresh  in  my  memory,  and, 
as  I  keep  no  notes,  I  should  not  dare  to  trust  to 
my  after  recollections.  We  are  now  occupying 
the  capital  of  the  Aztecs,  and  were  it  not  for 
the  loss  of  so  many  near  and  dear  friends, — 
friends  with  whom  we  have  enjoyed  all  the 
pleasures  of  a  long  peace,  and  with  whom  we 
have  shoulder  to  shoulder  encountered  and  van- 

132 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

quished  the  enemy, —  I  say,  were  it  not  for  these 
losses,  our  situation  would  be  pleasant.  The 
climate  is  delightful ;  the  army  enjoys  good 
health.  We  have  all  the  amusements  of  our 
own  cities.  As  for  myself,  I  have  not  been  in 
better  health  for  years,  nor  so  good  since  I  have 
been  in  this  country,  although  I  am  not  so  fleshy 
as  I  have  been.  By  this  train  go  all  the  wounded 
that  are  able  to  go,  except  those  that  will  recover 
and  be  fit  for  duty  in  a  month  or  so.  I  think 
the  people  of  the  States  would  stare  a  Httle  if  they 
were  all  thrown  into  New  Orleans  at  once  —  the 
one-armed,  one-legged,  one-eyed,  and  those  that 
have  neither.  I  do  not  know  the  number,  but 
suppose  it  must  be  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two 
thousand,  since  we  first  entered  the  valley.  We 
have  lost  near  (over,  I  think)  three  thousand  men, 
in  killed  and  wounded,  out  of  a  force  of  ten 
thousand  men.  I  have  no  way  of  ascertaining 
accurately,  but  think  that  it  is  a  fair  estimate  to 
say  about  eight  hundred  killed,  four  hundred 
very  slightly  wounded,  that  did  not  go  on  the 
surgeon's  list ;  two  hundred  that  were  wounded 
twice,  and  put  down  on  the  report ;  the  others, 
with  perhaps  two  hundred  exceptions,  will  go 
down  on  this  train.  Reinforcements  are  daily 
arriving  from  the  States,  and  are  taking  positions 
on  the  route  to  Vera  Cruz,  so   that  in  a  short 

^33 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

time  our  communications  will  be  safe  and  our 
mail  regular.  It  is  now  believed  by  all,  both 
Mexicans  and  Americans,  that  no  regular  organ- 
ized army  can  be  brought  into  the  field  again. 
This  is  the  center  of  all  their  resources,  both 
men  and  money,  also  of  intriguing  ;  and  as  long 
as  it  remains  in  our  possession  they  cannot  ob- 
tain the  means  ;  besides,  we  now  have  most  of 
their  cannon,  and  without  them  they  are  noth- 
ing but  a  rabble.  It  is  true  that  a  large  number 
of  the  bells  of  the  city  were  taken  to  mold  can- 
non, and  these  same  cannon  are  now  in  our 
possession.  I  have  written  so  much  military 
news  that  I  fancy  everybody  is  as  fond  of  hear- 
ing it  as  I  have  been  of  writing  it.  One  word 
more  in  regard  to  myself  and  regiment,  which  I 
hope  you  will  not  take  for  vanity.  In  all  the 
engagements,  Contreras  excepted,  my  regiment 
has  played  a  conspicuous  part,  and  its  loss  bears 
evidence  that  if  It  was  not  in  the  hottest.  It  was 
in  hot  positions.  And  it  Is  with  pride,  not 
vanity,  that  I  boast  of  having  been  noticed  by 
every  one  of  my  commanding  officers.  If  I 
could  leave  the  country  now  I  should  be  satis- 
fied, but  I  would  not  have  been  out  of  these 
battles  for  any  consideration ;  not  that  I  feel 
any  great  desire  to  see  my  name  in  a  despatch,  but 
to  have  returned  home  without  being  in  any  of 

134 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

these  actions  would  be  like  being  a  lawyer  with- 
out briefs,  or  a  doctor  without  patients.  We 
have  all  the  amusements  here  that  you  have  in 
New  York  ;  theaters  of  all  kinds.  If  you  do 
not  understand  Spanish,  you  have  the  French. 
If  you  do  not  like  that,  you  have  American. 
Bull-baits  and  cock-fighting  take  the  place  of 
horse-racing  and  cricket  in  the  States.  Our 
soldiers  fraternize  with  the  "greasers,"  have 
their  balls,  and  take  wonderfully  with  the  seno- 
ritas.  It  is  not  so  with  the  better  classes ;  they 
shun  everything  like  an  officer  in  public,  for 
fear  of  their  own  Government,  which  takes  its 
revenge  out  of  their  pockets.  It  is  one  of  the 
finest  countries,  but  the  worst  governed  in 
the  world,  filled  with  royal  magnificence  and  the 
most  abject  poverty  ;  in  fact,  there  is  no  middle 
class.  No  artizans  ;  everything  that  requires  any 
nicety  in  workmanship  is  either  imported  or 
made  here  by  foreigners.  All  of  this  class  of 
luxuries  bring  the  highest  prices,  and  none  but  the 
wealthiest  can  afford  them.  The  houses  of  the 
rich  are  furnished  with  more  splendor  than  those 
of  our  richest  nabobs,  while  the  poor  lie  huddled 
together  without  beds,  chairs,  tables,  and  only  a 
few  earthen  vessels  to  cook  their  tortillas  in  ;  and 
they  are  the  most  temperate  people  in  the  world, 
and  I  have  a  theory  that  this  is  one  of  the  causes 

'35 


CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

of  their  degeneration.  If  one  of  them  gets  drunk 
you  will  see  him  slip  off  without  noise,  while  if 
one  of  our  soldiers  gets  drunk  it  takes  half  a 
dozen  sober  ones  to  get  him  home.  It  requires 
something  to  rouse  a  man's  faculties  and  his 
energy.  We  are  the  greatest  go-ahead  people 
in  the  world,  and  we  beat  the  Jews  in  getting 
drunk.  It  is  so  with  the  English  and  Irish. 
The  real  Indians,  the  cross  of  the  Castilian  and 
Indian,  are  the  meanest  people  living ;  they  have 
all  the  cunning,  treachery,  and  the  vices  of  the 
Indian  without  any  of  the  virtues  of  the  Span- 
iard. I  think  it  is  the  greatest  misfortune  in 
the  world  that  Cortez  was  not  annihilated  here, 
and  the  country  would  then  have  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  Anglo-Saxon.  As  it  is,  these  peo- 
ple are  no  better  than  the  aborigines,  except  in 
their  idolatry,  and  I  doubt  if  their  religion  is  much 
better.  Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

City  of  Mexico,  October  26,  1847. 

My  dear  father : 

I  know  that  you  have  felt  great  anxiety  to 
hear  from  me  since  our  arrival  in  the  valley,  and 
of  the  sanguinary  conflicts  that  have  been  fought 
here.      I  sent  a  note  by  an   English  gentleman, 

136 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

who  took  it  to  Vera  Cruz  ;  but  whether  it  suc- 
ceeded in  reaching  you  is  doubtful.  I  also  sent 
another  by  express,  just  as  we  left  Puebla,  from 
which  I  never  heard,  but  think  it  went  safely. 
The  army  is  enjoying  itself  as  much  as  could  be 
expected  after  the  loss  of  so  many  of  its  brilliant 
ornaments.  The  city  is  perfectly  quiet,  and  the 
people  do  not  think  us  quite  such  vandals  as 
they  were  told  we  were.  Occasionally  an  as- 
sassination takes  place,  but  generally  through 
the  fault  of  our  soldiers.  At  night  the  streets 
are  much  more  quiet  than  one  of  our  own  cities 
of  half  its  size,  and  you  will  see  no  persons  but 
soldiers  strolling  home  from  the  theaters  or 
other  places  of  amusement.  The  Mexicans 
have  their  papers  published  as  usual.  Many  new 
ones  have  sprung  up,  as  Santa  Anna  shut  up  all 
but  two,  "El  Moniteur"  and  "El  Republicano." 
One  of  these,  whose  editor  was  horsewhipped 
by  an  officer  for  a  violent  attack  upon  a  young 
lady  for  receiving  the  visits  of  American  officers, 
complained  to  General  Scott  of  a  violation  of 
the  liberty  of  the  press.  General  Scott  told 
him  that  the  liberty  of  the  press  was  inviolable 
only  so  far  as  political  opinions  were  entertained, 
and  that  if  he  slandered  young  ladies  he  must 
expect  chastisement,  as  the  American  officers 
were  as  jealous  of  the  honor  of  ladies  as  they 

137 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

were  of  their  country.  Nothing  more  has  been 
heard  of  violating  the  Hbertyof  the  press.  I  do 
not  remember  that  I  have  mentioned  to  you 
that  in  the  different  actions,  but  mostly  at 
Churubusco,  an  entire  battalion,  called  the 
"  Sons  of  St.  Patrick,"  composed  of  our  desert- 
ers, were  taken  prisoners.  They  have  all  been 
tried  by  court-martial,  some  eighty  hung,  and  a 
a  few  shot,  and  others  that  deserted  before  the 
war  were  let  go.  We  had  some  few  more  that 
fought  gallantly  at  Molino  del  Rey  desert  after 
the  fight  was  over,  so  desperate  they  thought 
our  situation,  and  things  did  look  bad,  for  most 
of  our  loss  was  previous  to  this  time,  and  the 
strong  work  of  Chapultepec  had  yet  to  be 
taken.  The  lines  around  the  city  were  known 
to  be  strong,  and  had  to  be  forced  against  all 
the  troops  they  had,  and  what  a  city  of  two 
hundred  thousand  could  raise  animated  by  a  de- 
sire to  save  their  capital.  I  do  not  think  it  is 
known  here  where  Santa  Anna  has  gone,  but  it 
is  believed  he  is  making  his  way  to  some  south- 
ern port  to  leave  the  country ;  others  think  that 
he  has  gone  to  Queretaro,  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment. He  left  here  for  the  purpose  of  cutting 
off  a  train  that  was  on  its  way  up.  He  met 
General  Lane,  who  was  in  command  somewhere 
the  other  side  of  Puebla,  and  was  signally  de- 

138 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

feated,  losing  two  of  his  six  guns.  Afterward, 
it  is  said,  his  troops  had  dispersed.  General 
Lane  had  arrived,  without  further  molestation, 
at  Puebla,  from  whence  he  had  made  an  excur- 
sion to  Atlixco,  the  capital  of  Puebla,  driven 
off  the  few  troops  there,  and  brought  off  all  the 
public  property  —  some  three  hundred  wagon 
loads.     Believe  me  to  be  your 

Ever  affectionate  son, 

John. 

City  of  Mexico,  November  20,  1847. 

My  dear  father : 

At  last  we  have  been  gratified  by  the  receipts 
of  another  mail  bringing  letters  from  our  friends 
up  to  the  1st  of  August ;  but  in  the  mail  I  only 
found  one,  yours  of  the  8th  of  July,  but  it 
brought  the  gratifying  information  that  you  were 
all  well  and  enjoying  all  the  blessings  so  bounti- 
fully bestowed  upon  our  favored  country. 
Although  I  am  deprived  of  many  of  them,  the 
greatest  of  which  is  the  intercourse  with  my  dear 
friends,  I  still  am  thankful  for  the  enjoyment 
of  excellent  health,  for  being  spared  while  those 
above  and  below  have  been  cut  down.  Since  I 
last  wrote,  which  letter  left  here  the  ist  instant, 
no  move  has  been  made  by  the  army,  and  none 

139 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

is  contemplated  till  reinforcements  arrive  in 
such  numbers  as  will  insure  the  line  of  opera- 
tion, and  leave  a  movable  force  to  operate  where- 
ever  it  is  needed  ;  and  then  rumor  says  a  small 
force  is  to  be  sent  to  Queretaro,  where  the  Con- 
gress is  now  in  session,  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles  farther  in  the  interior,  another  to 
Toluca,  the  capital  of  this  State,  which  is  about 
thirty  miles  distant.  With  one  of  these  com- 
mands I  am  sure  to  be,  and  every  move  takes 
me  farther  and  farther  from  the  coast,  and  di- 
minishes the  prospect  of  a  speedy  return.  We 
had  all  indulged  the  hope  of  eating  our  Christmas 
dinner  in  the  States,  but  this  hope  fled  when  the 
armistice  was  broken,  and  the  army  had  to  force 
its  passage  into  the  city.  Of  the  battles  fought 
that  led  the  way  to  our  entrance  to  the  city,  I 
wrote  as  fully  as  I  was  able,  and  I  can  add  noth- 
ing now  that  could  make  it  more  explicit.  You 
will  see  a  thousand  accounts  pretending  to  give 
an  accurate  history  of  the  proceedings,  none  of 
which  will  probably  be  correct.  General  Scott's 
reports  are  the  only  records  to  be  relied  on,  and 
even  in  them  inaccuracies  may  occur.  As  there 
are  always  contending  interests,  even  in  so  small 
an  army  as  this,  it  is  hardly  possible  for  the 
commanding  General  to  do  justice  to  all.  We 
now  see  the  bad  effects  of  not  having  a  sufficient 

140 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

force  here  in  time.  Although  this  army  has 
done  all  that  it  was  possible  to  do,  or  even  for 
one  of  larger  numbers  to  do,  in  the  way  of  fight- 
ing, yet  it  carries  no  moral  force  with  it.  We 
have  always  had  so  small  a  force,  wherever  we 
have  moved,  that  the  Mexicans  have  indulged 
the  belief  that  they  could  overwhelm  us  and 
drive  us  out  of  the  country.  If  General  Tay- 
lor had  had  ten  thousand  soldiers  at  Corpus 
Christi  this  war  would  never  have  happened  ;  or 
if  he  had  had  means  to  follow  up  his  victories 
of  the  8th  and  9th  he  would  have  brought  the 
Mexicans  to  terms ;  but  soldiers  were  sent  him 
in  handfuls,  and  supplies  in  less  quantities.  If 
General  Scott  had  had  means  to  follow  up  his 
success  at  Cerro  Gordo  the  war  would,  in  all 
probability,  have  been  at  an  end  ;  but  he  had  no 
transportation,  the  terms  of  enlistment  of  one 
half  his  army  expired  within  a  month,  and  then 
he  was  obliged  to  remain,  one  half  of  his  army  at 
Jalapa,  the  other  at  Puebla.  The  same  system 
was  pursued  of  sending  men  by  handfuls,  and  the 
administration  blaming  General  Scott  for  not 
moving  on  the  capital.  I  have  the  best  reason 
for  knowing  that  if  General  Scott's  judgment 
had  been  consulted  he  would  not  have  moved 
from  Puebla  with  less  than  twenty  thousand  men ; 
but  he  was  forced  to  do  so  by  the  administration, 

141 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

and  had  to  go  with  little  more  than  half  that 
number.  If  any  disaster  had  befallen  this  army, 
the  sins  of  some  persons  would  have  been  too 
heavy  to  have  been  borne.  Now  that  it  is  be- 
lieved that  the  fighting  is  over  men  are  sent  out 
in  any  numbers.  We  hear  of  some  eighteen  or 
twenty  thousand  on  the  way,  but  it  may  turn 
out  like  a  report  published  in  the  "  Union," 
about  the  time  of  our  leaving  Puebla,  saying 
that  General  Scott  had  twenty-two  thousand 
men,  leaving  it  to  be  inferred  that  he  had  that 
number  to  move  on  Mexico  with  ;  that  there 
was  not  a  sick  man  ;  that  General  Taylor,  with 
his  force,  was  with  him  ;  and  that  it  was  not  neces- 
sary to  have  any  garrison  at  Vera  Cruz,  Jalapa, 
Perote,  or  Puebla.  When  will  such  follies 
cease  ?  It  is  proverbial  that  the  army  are  the 
greatest  set  of  grumblers  in  the  world,  and  I 
suppose  I  am  blessed  with  my  share;  but  I  think 
any  reasonable  person  will  admit  that  there  is 
some  justice  in  this,  particularly  as  we  are  the 
persons  that  have  to  suffer.  I  have  just  had 
my  valise  stolen  from  my  room,  containing  some 
money,  and  little  trinkets  that  I  valued  more, 
among  them  a  gold  pencil  that  was  the  gift  of 
a  dear  friend.  With  this  mail  just  received 
came  out  one  of  the  officers  of  our  regiment 
who  left  New  York  on  the  4th  of  August,  and 

142 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

brings  the  latest  news  to  us,  all  the  chit-chat.. 
It  is  amusing  to  see  the  crowd  continually  about 
him  asking  half  a  dozen  questions  at  the  same 
time.  One  officer  inquired  about  the  news  of 
his  family  ;  he  had  not  heard  that  his  father  died 
last  June.  This  was  Captain  Nichols,  who  died 
from  the  effect  of  a  wound  received  thirty-four 
years  ago  on  board  the  Chesapeake,  the  ball 
never  having  been  extracted.  All  the  reports 
have  reached  Washington  before  this,  and  you 
will  soon  have  them  published.  In  them  I  have 
been  told  my  name  appears  several  times  very 
handsomely.  General  Worth,  Colonels  Gait 
and  Belton,  Captains  Hoffman  and  Brooks 
have  all  noticed  my  conduct.  If  I  had  any  in- 
fluence at  Washington  I  might  expect  a  brevet, 
which  would  be  of  great  use  to  me  at  this  time, 
as  it  would  give  me  the  pay,  and  prevent  juniors, 
who  are  daily  getting  their  promotion,  from  rank- 
ing me.  It  is  very  likely  that  I  shall  remain 
here  for  months,  or  possibly  go  farther  into  the 
interior,  unless  the  stand  taken  by  the  United 
States  should  bring  the  Dons  to  reason,  of  which 
I  see  but  little  hope.  General  Scott  says  there 
is  but  a  small  speck  of  peace  on  the  horizon. 
His  ideas  of  carrying  on  the  war  are,  I  fancy,  not 
known  here ;  probably  to  take  possession  of 
the  country.     General  Taylor,  I  am  told,  goes 

^^3 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

for  a  line,  and  holding  all  north.  Two  months 
must  decide.  Mr.  Trist  will  leave  here  in  a  few 
days.  I  have  sent  to  Vera  Cruz  for  my  trunk, 
expecting  to  stay  here  some  time. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

John. 

City  of  Mexico,  November  28,  1847. 

My  dear  sister : 

A  train  is  to  leave  here  to-morrow,  Monday 
the  29th,  and  I  avail  myself  of  it  to  send  all 
that  I  have  written  since  the  last  one  left,  the 
first  of  the  month.  It  is  the  intention  of  the 
General  to  have  communication  with  the  coast 
at  least  once  a  month,  and  oftener  if  practicable. 
It  is  believed  that  the  safety  of  the  mail  to  and 
from  Vera  Cruz  is  secured,  as  the  most  danger- 
ous passes  are  now  occupied  by  our  troops.  You 
must  not  suppose,  however,  that  we  are  to  be 
idle  here  all  winter.  If  the  troops  arrive  that 
are  reported  to  be  on  the  route,  several  expe- 
ditions will  leave  here  to  take  possession  of  the 
larger  towns  within,  say,  two  hundred  miles  from 
here.  I  do  not  think  at  this  time  there  is  any 
force  that  can  oppose  one  of  our  brigades,  or 
that  will  attempt  it ;  their  morale  is  too  far  gone 
to  make  any  resistance,  even  when  they  have 

144 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

such  immense  numbers  in  their  favor.  You 
will  (perhaps)  receive  with  this  a  theater  bill,  just 
to  show  you  how  we  get  up  such  things  here. 
The  company  play  three  times  a  week,  and  the 
beauty  of  the  thing  is,  everybody  goes  that  does 
not  understand  a  word  of  the  play.  No  Mexi- 
cans of  any  standing  attend,  as  our  soldiers 
partly  frighten  them  away.  The  rich  are  glad  to 
have  our  officers  visit  them  at  their  houses,  which 
they  say  that  they  cannot  prevent,  but  if  they  as- 
sociate with  us  in  public,  ride  or  walk,  there  are 
plenty  ready  to  denounce  them  to  the  govern- 
ment, and  they  will  have  to  pay  dearly  for  it 
after  we  are  gone;  but  perhaps  they  will  not  be 
so  scrupulous  now,  if  they  think  that  we  will 
keep  possession  of  what  we  have  got,  and  get 
what  we  can.  You  may  be  assured  that  the 
army  generally  are  not  so  anxious  for  this  result. 
They  are  hardly  willing  to  expatriate  themselves, 
which  will  be  the  result  if  they  are  obliged  to 
come  to  this  God-forsaken  land.  If,  however, 
the  change  is  to  be,  this  country  will  soon  fill  up, 
and  quite  a  different  race  will  take  the  place  of 
these  descendants  of  Cortez,  as  they  call  them- 
selves, but  which  descent  has  been  so  rapid  that 
but  little  similarity  can  be  traced  between  the  cav- 
aliers that  followed  Cortez  and  the  present 
mongrel  race  at  this  time.      By  the  way,  nearly 

H5 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

the  same  route  that  Cortez  pursued  in  coming 
into  the  city  was  taken  by  us  ;  that  is,  on  the 
further  side  from  the  coast,  and  the  one  by  which 
he  left  is  the  one  we  shall  probably  leave  by, 
if  we  ever  return  to  the  coast.  You  can  still 
find  many  images  that  the  Aztecs  once  wor- 
shiped, but  as  soon  as  it  was  known  that  they 
were  being  picked  up  as  relics  by  some  of  our 
people,  the  market  was  at  once  supplied  by  form- 
ing and  burning  the  clay  found  here,  in  which 
the  Indians  are  very  expert,  and  antique-looking 
figures  are  soon  made.  The  Indians  have  a 
great  fancy  for  this  kind  of  work,  and,  for  a  small 
coin,  will  swear  that  it  was  dug  up  some  ten  feet 
from  underground  near  some  favorite  place  of 
sacrifice.  I  believe  at  a  place  near  Puebla,  called 
Cholula,  many  of  these  relics  are  still  found.  I 
had  intended  to  say,  on  the  last  page,  that  if  the 
Anglo-Saxons  once  get  their  feet  here,  not  all 
the  Mexican  nation  can  drive  them  away.  The 
country  is  too  rich,  the  climate  too  mild,  for 
them  to  give  it  up  without  an  effort;  and  when 
was  it  ever  known  that  they  made  an  effort  with- 
out succeeding?  The  weather  at  this  time  is -as 
mild  as  your  May ;  we  never  want  fires,  neither 
are  we  uncomfortable  with  thick  woolen  clothes. 
These  people  at  all  seasons  wear  thin  dresses, 
but  never  go  out  without  a  cloak — those  that  can 

146 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

afford  it ;  others  with  a  blanket  wrapped  around 
them.  Now  that  it  is  thought  the  fighting  is 
pretty  much  over,  our  old  officers  have  com- 
menced fighting  among  themselves.  It  is  mostly 
what  was  done  by  this  and  that  division  in  the 
different  battles,  each  claiming  the  lion's  share  of 
the  honor.  General  Scott  has  differed  with  many 
of  his  officers  upon  some  points,  at  first  unim- 
portant, but  by  growth  they  have  now  become 
serious.  I  am  afraid  this  will  have  the  effect  of  re- 
calling him,  as  they  will  attempt  at  Washington 
to  twist  everything  into  a  political  channel.  This 
I  should  look  upon  as  a  serious  evil,  as  in  my 
opinion,  no  officer  in  this  army  of  the  rank 
of  General  has  the  capacity  to  supply  the  place  of 
General  Scott.  However,  I  suppose  we  shall 
soon  have  a  civil  Governor  to  put  the  wheel  in 
motion  that  will  find  out  the  democrats  and 
make  this  an  integral  part  of  our  beloved  Repub- 
lic. If  you  write  Cousin  Bessie,  tell  her  that  the 
young  officer  she  became  acquainted  with,  whom 
we  called  the  "  Corporal,"  but  whose  name  was 
Daniels,  died  of  wounds  received  at  the  battle  of 
Molino  del  Rey.  I  was  with  him  when  he  died. 
He  had  previously  made  all  his  arrangements, 
partaken  of  the  sacrament,  and  showed  every  evi- 
dence that  he  was  a  Christian.  He  said  :  "  You 
will  write  to  my  friends  at  Governor's  Island. 

147 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Tell  them  that  my  only  regret  is  with  parting 
from  friends  whom  I  loved  so  well ;  that  I  bid 
them  adieu,  hoping  to  meet  them  in  another 
world."  Our  regiment  has  lost  but  few  officers 
in  the  battles  in  the  valley  of  Mexico.  God 
knows  whose  turn  it  will  be  next.  I  pray  that 
He  who  has  preserved  me  through  so  many 
fields  of  danger  will  restore  me  to  my  friends 
unscathed. 

Yours, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

City  of  Mexico,  December,  1847. 

My  dear  father : 

In  my  last  letters  I  have  given  you  a  short 
narration  of  the  different  battles  fought  here  in 
the  valley  —  that  is,  so  far  as  my  observation 
went.  You  have  probably  long  before  this  had 
the  official  reports  in  the  papers,  and  ten  thou- 
sand other  accounts  more  graphic  than  mine,  but 
I  doubt  if  more  accurate.  Everybody  has  a  dif- 
ferent version  to  suit  his  own  views,  some  blow- 
ing their  own  trumpets,  others  that  of  some 
favorite  upon  whose  shoulders  they  are  like  to 
rise.  General  Patterson  is  bringing  reinforce- 
ments— some  say  several  thousand  men.  These 
are  very  much  needed,  and  the  more  the  better, 

148 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

but  they  always  dwindle  down  from  one  third 
to  one  half.  It  is  always  safe  to  calculate  that 
one  third  who  leave  the  States  will  never  reach 
here.  General  Butler  is  behind  with  a  still 
greater  number.  When  he  reaches  here,  specu- 
lation will  begin  about  a  move.  Report  now 
says  that  no  move  will  take  place  till  about 
February  or  March.  This  will  give  time  for 
the  new  Congress,  which,  I  believe,  meets  in 
January,  to  decide  upon  what  course  they  will 
pursue,  if  they  are  for  peace.  Our  Government 
has  at  all  times  shown  too  great  a  desire  for 
peace,  and  has  treated  these  people  much  too 
leniently.  If  contributions  had  at  first  been 
levied  upon  the  country,  in  my  humble  opinion 
peace  would  have  followed,  but  it  may  be  too 
late  now.  If,  on  the  contrary.  Congress  is  de- 
termined to  carry  on  the  war,  the  consequences 
must  rest  with  it.  We  are  certainly  in  a  much 
better  condition  now  than  we  ever  have  been  be- 
fore. Up  to  this  time  every  battle  that  we  have 
fought  has  been  looked  upon  by  us  as  a  forlorn 
hope;  in  no  one  has  there  been  a  greater  equality 
than  three  to  one.  General  Worth's  division  at- 
tacked some  eighteen  hundred  or  two  thousand 
cavalry  with  Santa  Anna  at  their  head,  and  dis- 
persed them  without  any  loss  on  our  part;  but  this 
is  hardly  mentioned  in  the  States,  as  if  not  worth 

149 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

a  newspaper  paragraph.  General  Lane  has  lately 
had  a  skirmish,  in  which  he  was  entirely  success- 
ful, bringing  off  the  enemies'  guns,  destroying 
all  their  ammunition,  other  stores,  etc.  But  this 
is  to  be  expected  ;  their  morale  is  too  much  gone 
to  make  much  defense,  unless  well  sheltered 
behind  parapets,  and  having  the  advantage  of 
numbers.  Santa  Anna  is  one  of  the  greatest 
men  living,  say  what  you  will  of  his  defeats. 
After  providing,  as  he  did,  for  the  defense  of 
this  city,  no  one  can  say  that  he  did  not  do 
everything  that  a  man  in  his  situation  could  do, 
and  if  his  troops  had  defended  the  works  with 
as  much  ability  as  he  showed  in  erecting  them, 
we  should  never  have  got  into  the  city.  It  is 
folly  to  say  that  he  was  bribed — money  is  no 
object  to  him  ;  it  is  military  fame,  it  is  power, 
that  he  wants,  and  I  believe  that  as  soon  as  the 
wishes  of  the  people  are  known  he  will  make 
peace.  I  had  kept  a  little  memorandum  of 
events  that  had  occurred  since  I  arrived  in  this 
country,  but  which  was  lost  in  my  valise,  about 
the  loss  of  which  I  wrote  you;  but  I  lost  that 
which  I  valued  still  more — all  my  shirts,  di- 
ploma, commission,  and  other  little  things  that 
I  valued  very  much.  I  have  written  to  West 
Point  to  have  a  copy  of  my  diploma  sent  to  you. 
My  commission  I  care  little  for.      Hoping  this 

150 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

will  reach  you,  and  find  you  all  enjoying  health 
and  other  blessings,  I  remain,  as  ever, 
Your  affectionate  son, 

John  Sedgwick. 

Tacubaya,  Mexico,  December  26,  1847. 

My  dear  sister : 

You  will  perceive  from  this  that  I  have  again  left 
the  "  Halls,"  and  am  now  quartered  at  the  same 
little  place,  near  the  city,  that  we  occupied  after 
the  battles  of  Contreras  and  Churubusco  and 
during  the  armistice ;  but  this  is  supposed  to  be 
only  preparatory  to  a  move  into  the  interior,  but 
to  what  place,  or  how  far,  is  not  known  yet.  It 
is  thought  by  many  that  no  move  will  take  place, 
and  that  the  two  Governments  are  rapidly  con- 
ceding something  that  will  bring  about  peace, 
and  no  one  is  more  sanguine  than  General  Scott 
himself  He  expresses  himself  openly  that  it  is 
his  opinion  that  the  troops  will  all  be  out  of  the 
country  by  next  April.  I  hope  we  may  not 
again  be  deceived,  and  what  object  they  can  have 
for  deceit  is  hard  to  tell.  Before  it  was  quite 
visible  their  object  was  delay,  to  put  their  city 
in  a  better  state  of  defense,  to  rally  their  troops, 
and  to  recover  the  move  which  they  had  lost 
with  the  two  actions  just  fought.     The  old  saw 

151 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

says  that  "  drowning  men  catch  at  straws,"  so 
it  is  with  us  ;  we  seize  everything  to  twist  it  into 
something  favorable  for  peace.  Since  our  en- 
trance into  the  city  we  have  received  large  rein- 
forcements that  make  our  position  perfectly  safe, 
and  our  communication  with  Vera  Cruz  open. 
Now  a  small  company,  say  fifty  men,  can  go 
through  with  safety ;  but  we  do  not  get  the 
mails  regularly.  There  have  been  none  since 
General  Patterson  arrived  on  the  3d  inst.  An- 
other is  now  on  the  road,  and  will  probably  be 
here  in  a  few  days.  My  last  letter  was  dated 
October  28th,  from  father.  Is  it  not  terrible  to  be 
deprived  of  one  of  our  greatest  blessings,  that  of 
writing  to  and  receiving  letters  from  our  friends? 
When  we  are  near  each  other  we  feel  it  less. 
This  is  one  of  the  principal  objections  I  have 
for  going  farther  into  the  interior.  I  cannot  ex- 
pect to  hear  or  send  a  letter  for  three  or  four 
months.  More  troops  will  have  to  arrive  to 
establish  posts  on  the  road  to  secure  the  safety 
of  the  trains,  but  the  farther  we  go  from  here 
the  nearer  we  shall  be  to  Tampico,  and  if  the 
road  is  opened  to  that  place  the  mail  will  come 
from  there.  This  is  the  only  month  in  the  year 
in  which  you  want  an  overcoat,  and  I  have  felt 
the  want  of  one  severely,  so  much  so  that  I  have 
sent   to  Vera   Cruz    for  mine.      Ice   is   making 

152 


GENERAL  JOHN   SEDGWICK 

every  night,  but  disappears  with  one  hour's 
sun.  The  houses  here,  you  know,  have  no 
chimneys,  but  the  way  they  have  been  put  up 
by  us  astonishes  the  natives.  They  have  no  idea 
of  comfort ;  they  sit  all  day  shivering,  with  their 
blankets  on,  or  have  a  little  furnace  of  charcoal, 
which  is  enough  to  suffocate  white  people. 
They  never  have  dinner  parties  or  sociable 
meetings  ;  their  visits  are  all  made  at  the  theaters 
or  morning  calls.  At  the  theater  all  the  upper 
ten  thousand  have  boxes,  for  some  of  which 
they  pay  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand 
dollars  a  year ;  these  they  fit  up  like  drawing- 
rooms  and  receive  all  their  visitors.  If  you  see 
a  family  that  desires  a  call  you  go  to  the  box, 
and,  standing,  repeat  some  of  those  compli- 
mentary lies  that  are  so  common  at  home  ;  you 
then  move  to  another  box,  and  this  is  kept  up 
till  the  play  is  over.  It  astonishes  them  not 
a  little  to  hear  and  see  our  soldiers,  men  that 
are  never  still  two  minutes  in  the  day  ;  to  hear 
them  yell,  hang  their  legs  over  the  seats,  call  for 
"Yankee  Doodle,"  "  Hail  Columbia,"  "Star- 
Spangled  Banner,"  and  never  give  up  till  it  is 
played.  If  they  take  a  fancy  to  an  actor  they 
applaud  him  upon  all  occasions.  This  the 
Mexicans  cannot  understand,  but  always  sit  bolt 
upright,  and  anything  that  they  like  they  ap- 

^53 


CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

plaud  with  their  feet  or  cane.  But  the  most 
common  thing  here  is  never  seen  with  us  — 
smoking ;  but  do  not  imagine  that  the  vile  pipe 
or  huge  cigar  that  we  have  is  ever  seen  here. 
They  use  the  most  fragrant  tobacco,  rolled  up 
in  scented  paper,  the  odor  of  which  is  delicious. 
The  theater  is  better  attended  on  Sunday  even- 
ing than  any  other.  One  officer  told  me  that 
he  lived  at  a  house  with  several  ladies  who  went 
to  mass  every  morning  as  regularly  as  they  got 
up,  and  with  equal  regularity  to  the  theater. 
They  have  no  such  amusements  as  we  have  at 
home ;  they  drive  out  in  the  evening  to  the 
fashionable  drive,  and  circle  around  the  fountain 
looking  at  the  equipages,  scandalize  a  little,  and 
go  home ;  in  this,  however,  they  differ  very  lit- 
tle from  our  own  people.  Generally  the  women 
here,  of  all  classes,  are  kind,  generous,  and  very 
much  so  toward  the  unfortunate.  Our  pris- 
oners have  always  spoken  of  the  kind  treatment 
received  from  the  women  and  the  harsh  treatment 
from  the  men.  The  President's  message  has 
just  arrived,  and  I  believe  gives  general  satis- 
faction ;  at  all  events,  much  better  than  the  offi- 
cial reports  of  the  battles  here  have  done. 
Everybody  thinks  he  has  done  much  more 
than  he  gets  credit  for ;  complains  that  he  was 
not  reported  as  being  first  in  Chapultepec  or 
some  other  battery.      But  this  wrangling  is  con- 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

fined  mostly  to  those  who  had  the  least  to  do, 
but  also,  generally,  got  all  the  credit.  Times 
have  not  changed  in  this  respect ;  at  least  there 
is  just  as  much  grumbling,  just  as  much  boast- 
ing now  as  ever.  I  believe  that  Goldsmith  says 
that  virtue  that  always  required  guarding  was  not 
worth  the  sentinel.  It  is  so  with  some  people's 
character  ;  if  it  requires  you  to  blow  your  own 
trumpet  all  the  time  it  is  not  worth  keeping.  I 
sent  letters  home  by  the  train  that  left  here  on 
the  6th  inst.;  but,  to  be  sure  that  you  should 
hear  from  me,  I  requested  Lieutenant  Peck  to 
write  father  a  line,  which  he  promised  to  do. 
Lieutenant  Gibson  also  went  home;  you  re- 
member that  he  was  accidentally  wounded  at 
Puebla  in  May  last.  He  wrote  me  from  Vera 
Cruz  that  probably  he  should  be  a  cripple  for 
life.  This  is  a  pleasant  prospect  for  a  man  that 
is  about  to  be  married  —  provided  that  the  lady 
should  not  think  it  a  sufficient  cause  to  break 
off  the  engagement.  I  shall  write  again  before 
the  mail  leaves.  You  are  now,  I  conclude,  en- 
joying all  the  dis-comforts  of  sleighing.  I  hope 
that  long  before  this  you  have  been  fully  re- 
stored to  health  and  to  the  enjoyments  which 
health  brings.  I  will  bid  you  all  good-by. 
Wishing  all  happiness  of  the  coming  year. 
Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 


1848 


TacubayAj  Mexico,  January  12,  1848. 

My  dear  father : 

I  had  not  intended  to  write  you  again  by  this 
mail,  which  leaves  to-morrow,  but  a  mail  has 
arrived  from  home,  and  brings  your  letter  of 
November  nth.  I  had  about  four  weeks  pre- 
viously received  one  as  late  as  November  3d, 
which  contained  an  account  of  dear  Emily's  sick- 
ness ;  also  her  relapse,  from  which  she  was  then 
recovering.  Since  then  you  may  imagine  my 
anxiety  to  hear  again.  From  day  to  day  we  had 
reports  of  a  mail  being  on  the  road,  but  they 
did  not  come;  but  to-day,  as  we  came  from  din- 
ner, we  found  a  table  loaded  with  letters — an 
unexpected  treat.  I  had  only  one  from  home, 
none  from  Emily,  none  from  Olive,  and  none 
from  Philo  or  EHza,  but  I  have  the  consolation 

.56 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

to  believe  that  there  are  some  somewhere,  and 
that  I  may  get  them  yet.  I  received  several 
from  the  friends  of  soldiers  in  my  company  that 
have  been  killed  in  battles  here — one  from  the 
brother  of  Lieutenant  Daniels,  who  was  wounded 
at  Molino  del  Rey  and  died  some  time  after 
we  entered  the  city.  This  I  shall  answer  to- 
night, and  what  I  can  say  I  don't  know.  What 
can  be  said  to  console  a  brother  for  such  a  loss  ? 
Yet  he  died  (as  General  Worth  said  in  his  report) 
as  all  gallant  soldiers  wish  to  die.  I  will  here 
mention  a  little  incident,  although  a  trifle :  In 
this  battle  two  officers  from  our  regiment  were 
detailed  for  the  storming  party  ;  these  were  Lieu- 
tenants Shackelford  and  Daniels.  Soon  after  the 
stormers  advanced,  Garland's  brigade  was  ordered 
up, — my  company  was  the  leading  one  of  the 
brigade, — and  when  within  a  few  paces  of  the 
Mexican  lines,  I  heard  some  one  call  me  by  name, 
and  giving  the  Second  a  cheer.  I  turned,  and  saw 
Lieutenant  Shackelford  a  few  feet  from  me  leav- 
ing the  field.  This  circumstance  I  could  not 
account  for,  for  I  believed  that  not  a  man  of  our 
regiment  would  ever  have  left  the  field  until  the 
victory  was  gained,  and  I  knew  this  to  be  the 
commencement  of  the  battle.  I  thought  of  this 
for  two  hours,  while  balls  were  falling  as  thick 
as  they  ever  fell  on  a  battle-field.     It  gave  me 

157 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

great  uneasiness,  and  not  till  the  battle  was  over 
did  I  learn  that  he  was  wounded,  and  was  mak- 
ing his  way  on  one  leg  out  of  the  fire.     After 
going  to  our  quarters  we  found  those  two  officers 
lying    in    bed,  wounded.     We    embraced,   and 
thanked   God  that  so  great  a  battle  had  been 
fought  and  won,  and  we  had  all  escaped  death. 
It  was  then  that  Daniels  told  me  that  he  was  a 
few  feet  behind  Shackelford  ;  that  he  saw  me  ; 
that   I   was  going,  as  we  went  side   by  side  at 
Churubusco,  and  that  he  did  not  think  that  I 
could  escape  the  shower  of  balls  that  were  then 
pouring  down  the  road  where  we  were.     In  a 
few  minutes  word  was  brought  that  one  of  our 
officers  had  been  blown  up  in  a  magazine.     This 
was  the  first  casualty  of  the  day.     In  our  regi- 
ment, in  a  short  month,  three  out  of  the  five 
then  present  had  died,  and  their  bodies  are  now 
on  their  way  to  Governor's  Island  to  be  claimed 
by  their  friends.     This  was  a  cruel  and  unex- 
pected stroke  to  us  all,  who  thought  their  wounds 
,  slight.     Any  of  us  would  have  exchanged  places 
with  them  rather  than  go  through  the  fight  that 
we  knew  had  to  be  fought  before  we  could  enter 
the  city.     There  is  a  great  deal  of  talk  about 
peace;  everybody  speaks  as  if  it  was  a  certain 
thing;  yet  we  have  been  disappointed  so  often, 
we    may    be  again.     Their  Government   is   so 

158 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

weak,  so  unstable,  that  any  treaty  made  with 
them  might  not  be  respected  by  the  party  that 
succeeded  the  present  one.  But  in  this  respect 
our  Government  has  but  Httle  the  advantage. 
The  eighteen  thousand  additional  troops  which 
havejoined  since  the  battles  began,  turn  out  to  be 
men  in  buckram.  General  Scott  has  not  twelve 
thousand  men  here  in  the  valley,  and  not  more 
than  two  thousand  to  join  him;  and  yet  it  is  be- 
lieved in  the  States  that  he  has  thirty  thousand. 
The  movement  that  I  spoke  of  in  another  letter 
is  postponed,  and  it  is  believed  because  the  last 
proposition  of  Mr.  Trist  has  been  accepted. 
General  Scott  says  we  shall  be  afloat  in  April ; 
a  wag  says  the  rainy  season  is  coming  on  earlier 
than  usual.  I  have  never  enjoyed  better  health. 
Since  I  entered  the  valley  I  have  not  lost  a  tour 
of  duty  or  a  good  dinner,  though  the  former 
came  oftener  than  the  latter.  You  speak  in 
your  letter  of  trying  for  promotion.  I  would 
not  accept  a  Captaincy  in  a  new  regiment,  as  I 
am  so  close  to  one  where  I  am,  and  am  with 
those  I  have  served  with  so  long.  With  respect 
to  a  brevet,  I  don't  care  a  fig  ;  they  are  obtained 
in  such  a  way  that  it  is  no  great  credit  to  get 
one.  The  staff  and  the  particular  friends  of 
the  General  are  all  sure  to  get  one,  and  then  if 
there  are  any  left,  others  that  happen  to  be  in 

159 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Washington  get  them.  I  don't  care,  as  I  said, 
a  fig  about  it.  If  I  stay  in  the  army  after  the 
war,  I  prefer  remaining  in  my  own  regiment.  I 
hope  earnestly  to  see  you  all  in  the  spring ;  till 
then  I  remain,  as  ever, 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Castle  of  Chapultepec, 

Mexico,  February  3,  1848. 

My  dear  father : 

You  will  see  from  the  heading  of  this  that  I 
have  taken  up  my  quarters  in  this  far-famed  cas- 
tle. I  do  not  remember  that  I  have  ever  told 
you  that  this  was  formerly  the  military  school 
(the  West  Point  of  Mexico)  and,  going  back  still 
further,  the  residence  of  the  veritable  Monte- 
zuma himself.  The  castle  itself  stands  upon  the 
summit  of  a  ledge  of  rocks  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  in  height,  on  three  sides  very  abrupt — 
almost  perpendicular ;  on  the  other  the  ascent 
is  very  gentle,  but  all  rock,  the  road  cut  in  and 
winding,  avoiding  the  steeper  parts.  At  the  base, 
and  covering  several  acres,  is  the  forest  of  cypress, 
which  is  said  to  be  centuries  old,  and  from  the 
size  of  the  trees  I  should  think  it  very  probable. 
One  of  them  is  fifty-two  feet  in  circumference, 

160 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

several  of  them  forty,  and  a  great  number  of 
them  twenty  and  upward.  They  are  not  of  great 
height,  but  the  branches  cover  a  large  surface, 
and  are  covered  with  long  hanging  moss,  mak- 
ing it  almost  impossible  for  the  rain  or  sun  to 
get  through.  As  you  may  not  be  able  to  swal- 
low all  this,  I  will  tell  you  that  I  encamped 
under  the  largest  two  nights,  and  can  assure  you 
that  I  never  saw  any  tree  that  could  compare 
with  it.  By  leading  a  horse  near  it  you  could 
plainly  see  that  his  length  was  not  equal  to  the 
breadth  of  the  tree.  This  is  called  "  Montezu- 
ma's Tree."  Another  thing  which  is  regarded  as 
one  of  the  greatest  curiosities  here  is  "Monte- 
zuma's Dial."  It  is  a  large  circular  stone  worked 
in  the  corner  of  the  cathedral,  ten  feet  in  diam- 
eter. In  the  center  is  a  human  head  with  the 
tongue  hanging  out,  cut  in  relief,  while  around 
this  are  five  circles  of  hieroglyphic  figures,  in- 
tended for  the  computation  of  the  different  divi- 
sions of  time.  Among  the  Aztecs  the  civil  year 
was  divided  into  eighteen  months  of  twenty  days 
each,  the  year  commencing  in  February,  the  26th, 
I  believe.  Nobody  has  yet  been  found  wise 
enough  to  read  Mexican  hieroglyphics.  There 
is  also  standing  in  the  court  of  the  museum  a 
bronze  equestrian  statue  of  Charles  IV.  This 
has  the   reputation  of  being  one  of  the   most 

161 


CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

beautiful  pieces  of  statuary  in  the  world.  I  am 
too  poor  a  judge  to  give  any  opinion.  They  have 
an  institution  under  the  control  of  the  Govern- 
ment something  like  one  of  our  pawn-brokers' 
shops.  I  do  not  exactly  know  the  workings  of  it, 
but  it  is  something  like  this:  A  person  wishing 
to  pawn  anything,  no  matter  what,  takes  it  there, 
and  it  is  appraised  by  directors  appointed  by  the 
Government,  and  the  person  receives  two  thirds 
of  its  value  in  cash.  If  he  returns  in  a  certain 
time — say  a  month — and  pays  what  he  received, 
he  takes  the  article.  If  he  should  not  return  in 
two  months,  he  pays  a  small  interest — two  per 
cent;  if  in  one  year,  six  or  seven  per  cent.  At 
the  expiration  of  a  certain  time,  if  the  article  is 
not  called  for,  it  is  sold  at  auction,  and  the  money 
goes  into  the  fund.  In  this  way,  if  honestly  con- 
ducted, the  poor  that  are  temporarily  in  want, 
receive  the  benefit,  and  the  Government  like- 
wise receives  an  income  which  comes  from  the 
spendthrift,  etc.  I  have  been  told  that  it  is 
quite  a  curiosity  to  go  there  and  see  the  articles 
which  have  been  pawned.  Everything  which 
can  be  named — Indian  blankets,  knives,  gold 
watches,  diamond  pins,  etc.  The  sale  takes  place 
once  a  month,  and  it  is  no  unusual  thing  for  the 
proceeds  to  amount  to  several  thousand  dollars. 
I  wrote  this   much  last   night,  and  will   now 

162 


GENERAL  JOHN   SEDGWICK 

conclude.  I  don't  know  when  a  train  will  leave, 
but  as  this  is  the  only  method  of  sending  letters, 
we  must  wait  patiently  for  it.  I  hear  that  there 
is  a  mail  at  Puebla  which  will  be  up  in  a  few 
days ;  if  it  comes  before  I  send  this  I  will  write 
again.  I  never  have  enjoyed  better  health  than 
I  have  since  I  entered  the  valley.  I  have  not 
lost  a  day's  duty,  and,  with  one  or  two  excep- 
tions, have  not  been  out  of  sorts.  I  have  seen 
it  proved  here  that  our  Northern  troops  stand 
this  climate  much  better  than  the  Southern. 
While  the  New  York,  Massachusetts,  and  two 
Pennsylvania  regiments  have  performed  the 
same  services  with  the  South  Carolina  and  other 
Southern  regiments,  they  have  not  lost  half  the 
number  of  men.  This  is  in  some  measure  owing 
to  their  being  a  more  hardy  set  of  men.  It  is 
very  hard  for  wealthy  men  to  sustain  the  fatigues 
and  hardships  of  the  private  soldier.  They  know 
nothing  about  taking  care  of  themselves,  or 
about  cooking.  They  get  low-spirited,  neglect 
themselves,  become  filthy  and  dirty.  More  die 
from  these  causes  than  from  any  disease  of  the 
country.  I  have  not  lost  a  soldier,  except  from 
his  wounds,  since  we  left  Puebla,  and  I  take  no 
particular  credit  to  myself,  for  it  is  owing  to  the 
way  they  take  care  of  themselves  and  to  their 
hardy  habits.     Colonel  Duncan  was  just  saying, 

163 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

in  looking  at  the  big  tree  which  I  have  men- 
tioned in  this  letter,  that  he  was  at  the  Hos- 
pital de  Jesus,  the  only  building  now  standing 
erected  by  Cortez,  and  among  other  curiosities 
shown  him  was  a  table  made  of  cedar  cut  at  this 
place,  and  said  to  be  thirteen  feet  in  diameter. 
He  had  a  rule  in  his  pocket  with  which  he 
measured  it,  and  found  that  it  was  barely  seven. 
This  is  one  of  the  exaggerations  of  travelers.  I 
have  mentioned,  in  a  former  letter,  my  apprehen- 
sion of  going  to  San  Luis.  If  a  column  should 
move  in  that  direction  it  is  very  probable  now 
that  this  regiment  would  not  go.  Peace  is  all 
the  talk,  and  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the 
treaty  has  been  signed  and  gone  to  Washington; 
but  whether  the  Government  here  is  strong 
enough  to  satisfy  it  and  carry  it  out  is  doubtful ; 
but  if  they  can  hold  together  long  enough  for 
us  even  to  get  out  of  the  country,  I  do  not  think 
they  will  ever  want  us  back. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Castle  of  Chapultepec, 

February  28,  1848. 
My  dear  father : 

Yesterday  we  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving 
another  mail  from  the  States,  and  in  it  I  found 

164 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

yours  of  January  ist,  13th,  and  15th.  Also  one 
from  Dr.  Gold,  for  all  of  which  I  am  very  thank- 
ful. No  mail  has  left  here  for  more  than  a 
month,  and  all  of  our  letters  for  that  time  have 
been  collecting  in  the  post-office.  Rumor  says 
that  the  mail  will  leave  here  day  after  to-morrow. 
The  first  order  issued  after  General  Butler  as- 
sumed the  command  was  that  a  mail  should  leave 
on  the  ist  and  15th  of  every  month,  at  each  end 
of  the  line.  This  gives  great  satisfaction  to  all. 
General  Scott  had  always  sent  and  received  all 
his  letters  by  the  English  courier,  to  the  neglect 
of  all  the  other  officers.  This  has  given  great 
dissatisfaction.  The  road  has  been  open,  so 
that  a  small  escort  could  easily  pass  through, 
and  no  good  reason  can  be  seen  why  we  have 
not  had  a  mail  at  least  twice  a  month.  General 
Scott  will  probably  not  leave  this  country  for 
several  months.  The  court  before  which  he  is 
to  appear  has  not  yet  met,  and  it  is  likely  will 
be  in  session  for  some  time.  The  difficulty  be- 
tween him  and  Generals  Worth  and  Pillow  ap- 
pears to  have  created  a  greater  sensation  in  the 
States  than  here.  No  one  here  says  or  cares 
anything  about  it,  unless  it  be  their  personal 
friends.  As  to  the  merits  of  the  case,  I  know 
little,  and  care  still  less,  about  it.  I  think  it  was 
bad  policy  to  relieve  General  Scott  at  this  time. 

165 


CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

It  may  have  a  bad  effect  upon  the  treaty.  The 
order  reached  here  the  226.  inst.,  and  as  we 
were  celebrating  the  birthday  of  Washington. 
The  Indians  about  in  the  towns  flocked  in,  think- 
ing it  was  a  pronunciamento  by  the  soldiers  in 
favor  of  General  Scott.  They  cannot  under- 
stand how  the  orders  of  the  President  can  tri- 
umph over  the  military.  When  General  Worth 
was  arrested  they  wanted  to  know  if  his  troops 
would  return  to  the  States  or  join  the  Mexicans. 
It  is  reported  that  an  armistice  has  been  con- 
cluded, the  return  of  which  is  not  known.  This, 
it  is  supposed,  is  preparatory  to  the  ratification 
of  the  treaty  at  Washington,  and  the  probability 
of  its  being  ratified  here.  Of  this  there  is  no 
certainty ;  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  Government 
is  strong  enough  to  carry  it  through.  I  believe 
the  Government  and  the  best  part  of  the  popu- 
lation are  anxious  for  it,  but  the  military  chief- 
tains and  the  rabble  oppose  it.  The  working 
classes  are  benefited  by  the  war ;  the  rabble  take 
good  care  to  save  themselves  when  hard  blows 
come.  Some  one  said  that  we  ought  to  con- 
tinue the  war  and  whip  them  until  they  consented 
to  take  back  all  Texas  to  the  Sabine.  It  may 
come  to  that  yet. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 
166 


GENERAL  JOHN   SEDGWICK 

Castle  of  Chapultepec,  Mexico, 
March  i6,  1848. 

My  dear  father : 

I  received  your  letter  of  February  2d  day  be- 
fore yesterday ;  and  although  I  have  nothing 
more  to  say  than  I  wrote  and  sent  on  the  4th 
inst.,  yet  I  have  made  it  a  rule  to  answer  all 
letters  the  first  leisure  time  I  have  after  receiv- 
ing them.  In  that  mail  I  sent  letters  to  Philo, 
Eliza,  Emily,  Dr.  Gold,  two  to  yourself,  and 
numerous  others  on  public  business,  and  to  other 
friends.  I  did  not  write  to  Olive  as  I  conclude 
she  sees  most  or  all  of  my  letters  home.  The 
prospects  of  peace  are  every  day  brightening, 
and  the  treaty  probably  reached  Washington 
about  the  ist  of  March.  If  accepted,  and  no  , 
unnecessary  delay  detains  it  in  the  Senate,  it  will 
be  here  in  the  course  of  two  days.  I  think  there 
will  be  no  doubt  about  its  being  ratified  by  this 
Government,  but  whether  the  Government  will 
be  strong  enough  to  sustain  itself  to  carry  out 
its  measures  is  very  problematical.  I  speak  now 
the  opinion  entertained  by  those  of  high  rank, 
and  whose  information  is  no  doubt  correct.  If 
everything  turns  out  as  we  now  anticipate,  we 
shall  be  able  to  leave  this  God-forsaken  country 
in  two  months.     An  armistice  was  entered  into 

167 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

on  the  29th  ultimo,  the  terms  of  which  I  sent  you 
by  our  last  mail.  I  wrote  you  that  I  did  not  wish 
you  to  make  any  effort  to  obtain  reward  for  any 
services  I  may  have  done  here,  though,  upon  re- 
flection, I  am  not  sorry  that  you  wrote  to  Mr. 
Niles.  Such  things  are  done  every  day,  but  I 
dislike  to  ask  for  anything  which  I  have  not  the 
right  to  demand.  If  Mr.  Niles  should  take  any 
interest  in  the  matter,  no  doubt  he  could  obtain 
it,  for  I  feel  (without  vanity)  that  I  have  done 
as  hard  duty,  and  done  it  as  well,  as  any  officer 
of  the  line  here.  The  staff  officers  often  re- 
ceive rewards  for  services  done  by  their  chiefs, 
and  when  they  have  not  been  under  fire  at  all. 
I  have  been  in  every  battle  from  Vera  Cruz  here, 
excepting  Contreras,  and,  not  the  least,  a  cam- 
paign on  the  Rio  Grande;  but  it  will  be  of  no 
material  benefit  if  I  get  my  promotion,  as  I  hope 
to  in  a  few  months.  The  court  meets  to-day 
to  investigate  the  difficulty  between  Generals 
Scott  and  Pillow.  I  believe  General  Worth's 
and  Colonel  Duncan's  cases  do  not  come  up. 
It  will  be  a  long  and  tedious  trial,  probably  as 
long  as  the  Fremont  case.  Of  the  merits  of  the 
case  I  know  very  little,  and  care  still  less.  No- 
body thinks  or  cares  anything  about  it  here,  not 
half  as  much  as  they  appear  to  in  the  States. 
We  look  upon  it  as  a  private  quarrel  in  which, 

168 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

as  is  always  the  case,  both  are  wrong.  General 
Worth  thinks  that  great  injustice  has  been  done 
him  and  his  division  by  General  Scott,  in  his  last 
report,  by  saying  that  they  did  not  enter  the 
city  on  the  evening  of  September  13th.  Now, 
it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  enemy's  last  bat- 
tery, Garita  San  Cosme,  was  taken  before  sun- 
down, and  that  there  was  nothing  to  prevent 
him — General  Worth — from  marching  direct  to 
the  main  place  but  the  lateness  of  the  day.  And 
it  is  well  known  that  General  Quitman  had  not, 
nor  ever  could  have,  taken  the  citadel  and  an- 
other battery  that  did  him  so  much  injury  on 
the  13th.  They  fell  in  consequence  of  General 
Worth's  success.  Some  two  hours  after  San 
Cosme  had  fallen,  Santa  Anna  sent  an  aid  to  as- 
certain if  that  work  could  sustain  itself.  This 
aid  rode  into  our  lines  before  he  was  aware  of  it, 
and  was  taken  prisoner.  As  soon  as  Santa 
Anna  learned  this  he  commenced  evacuating  the 
city.  So  palpable  and  unpardonable  an  error  as 
this  General  Worth  could  not  overlook.  He 
had  no  objection  to  General  Quitman's  march- 
ing into  the  city  first.  He  was  satisfied  with 
what  he  had  done,  and  this  was  General  Quit- 
man's first  battle  after  Monterey,  and  he  was 
willing  that  he  should  have  the  honor  to  first 
plant  the  flag  on  the  "  Halls."     The  battle  of 

169 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Molino  del  Rey  was  another  question  of  dif- 
ference. There  is  a  great  responsibihty  some- 
where about  fighting  three  thousand  men  against 
fourteen  thousand,  and  then,  after  complete  suc- 
cess, in  not  giving  credit  where  it  is  due.  After 
the  battle  became  general  other  troops  were  or- 
dered up  and,  as  General  Scott  says,  "  interposed 
between  Garland's  brigade  and  the  enemy."  Now 
these  troops  did  not  arrive  till  after  the  battle 
had  been  over  two  hours  or  more,  and  we  had 
complete  possession  of  the  field.  There  was  no 
enemy  there  except  the  garrison  at  Chapultepec, 
and  they  had  but  little  idea  of  attacking  us,  as 
they  believed  that  we  were  about  to  attack  them, 
and  it  is  thought  if  we  had  we  should  have  gone 
into  the  city  on  the  9th  without  much  loss ;  but 
this  has  become  an  old  story.  General  Pillow's 
difficulty  has  nothing  to  do  with  General  Worth 
or  his  division.  He  is  a  lawyer  and  a  politician, 
and  can  probably  manage  his  own  case — bad  as 
it  is.  I  am,  thank  God,  enjoying  most  excellent 
health.  The  climate  agrees  with  me,  and  were 
it  not  that  I  am  so  far  from  home,  I  should  be 
contented  to  remain  two  years  longer. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 


170 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Castle  of  Chapultepec, 

March  i8,  1848. 

My  dear  sister: 

I  wrote  father  day  before  yesterday,  and  this 
morning  I  learned  that  a  mail  will  leave  to-mor- 
row. Just  after  closing  father's  letter  the  Eng- 
lish courier  arrived  from  Vera  Cruz,  bringing 
the  gratifying  intelligence  of  the  probability 
of  the  ratification  of  the  treaty.  A  special  mes- 
senger is  expected  to-day,  bringing  more  particu- 
lar and  authentic  information.  He  also  brought 
the  news  of  the  death  of  J.  Q.  Adams.  What 
a  glorious  death  for  the  "  Old  Man  Eloquent,"  to 
die  with  his  armor  on,  amid  the  friends  and 
foes  with  whom  he  had  so  often  broken  a  lance, 
and  where  he  had  so  often  poured  forth  those 
burning  words  that  have  disturbed  the  harmony, 
and  at  the  same  time  done  so  much  to  raise  the 
character  of  the  nation !  Who  will  dare  to  as- 
sume the  mantle  of  the  sage,  statesman,  poet, 
and  still  prouder  title  of  the  "  Old  Man  Elo- 
quent"? I  hope  to  be  out  of  this  country  by 
September ;  prospects  brighten  every  day.  It 
is  believed  that  the  treaty  ratified  by  our  Senate 
is  now  on  its  way  here,  and  will  be  here  in  a  day 
or  two.  It  is  also  thought  that  it  will  be  rati- 
fied at  once  by  the  Mexican  Congress.     Their 

171 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Congress  is  not  like  ours, —  a  deliberative  body, 
—  but  only  to  do  the  will  of  the  Government.  It 
is  understood  that  one  of  the  articles  requires  the 
American  army  to  leave  the  country  within  three 
months  after  the  ratification,  if  the  yellow  fever 
does  not  prevent  its  embarkation  at  Vera  Cruz. 
General  Butler  has  said  that  if  he  could  not  em- 
bark it  before  the  ist  of  June,  he  would  keep  it 
in  the  highlands  until  after  the  sickly  season  is 
over.  In  that  case  we  would  not  be  able  to 
move  till  September.  The  volunteers,  and  those 
regiments  enlisted  during  the  war,  may  be  able 
to  go  before.  General  Worth  has  demanded 
that  his  division  be  the  last  to  leave  the  city, 
and  the  last  to  embark  from  Vera  Cruz;  for 
this,  you  may  be  assured,  he  will  not  receive 
many  blessings.  But  I  am  forgetting  the  fable 
of  a  certain  milk  maid  with  a  pail  of  milk  on  her 
head;  while  making  some  very  pleasant  reflec- 
tions, her  foot  slipped.  There  will  be  a  greater 
disappointment  if  the  treaty  is  not  made  now. 
I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  Lieutenant 
Gibson,  an  old  friend  of  mine,  whom  you  may 
have  heard  me  mention.  He  is  now  in  New 
York,  and  is  still  unable  to  bear  any  weight 
on  his  foot.  He  accidentally  shot  himself  last 
May  in  Puebla,  and  what  was  then  thought  a 
slight  wound  has  proved  a  serious  one,  which 

172 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

will  probably  make  him  a  cripple  for  life.  He 
says :  "  Before  you  receive  this  I  shall  be  mar- 
ried. My  intended  is  not  handsome,  but  good, 
amiable,  and  has  some  money."  This  is  the  first 
case  that  I  have  ever  heard  of  that  a  man  did  not 
swear  that  his  sweetheart  was  the  handsomest 
woman  living;  the  other  qualities  come  in  as  a 
matter  of  course.  No  very  good  feeling  exists 
here  between  the  old  army  and  the  new  levies 
and  the  volunteers.  The  old  army  (officers)  feel 
that  they  have  had  the  brunt  of  the  fighting  to 
do,  and  the  least  they  ought  to  expect  was  that 
no  claims  should  be  made  by  the  volunteers. 
But  when  letter  after  letter  comes  from  the  States 
claiming  all  the  credit  of  every  action,  and  often 
when  there  was  not  a  volunteer  there,  it  has 
drawn  a  reply  which  has  led  to  some  sharp  words. 
As  General  Pierce  says:  "It  has  astonished 
every  one  that  the  new  levies  did  as  well  as  they 
have  done."  This  was  enough ;  all  ought  to  be 
satisfied;  but  to  say  that  some  have  even  done 
such  hard  service,  or  have  stood  to  the  rack  in 
battle,  is  preposterous.  General  Pillow  said  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  when  his  brigade  was  repulsed: 
"  Oh,  that  General  Scott  would  send  me  some 
regulars,  even  if  it  was  only  one  company,"  and 
sent  an  aid  requesting  it. 

Herr  Alexander,  the  celebrated  German  ma- 

173 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

gician,  has  been  astonishing  the  natives  here  for 
the  last  two  days.  They  say  he  is  the  very 
Diablo  himself.  He  has  a  fine  intellectual  face, 
but  his  body  and  legs  are  very  much  de- 
formed, which  might  strengthen  people  in  their 
opinion  of  him.  But  he  does  perform  some 
wonderful  tricks.  I  dined  with  him  at  a  gentle- 
man's house  here,  and  the  way  he  could  deceive 
us  was  astonishing.  I  did  not  wonder  at  the 
Mexicans  thinking  him  the  devil. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Castle  of  Chapultepec, 

Mexico,  April  3,  1848. 

My  dear  father: 

I  have  just  received  your  letter  of  February 
23d,  giving  the  most  gratifying  intelligence  of 
the  recovery  of  Emily.  I  had  been  much  cheered 
by  your  last,  but  a  relapse  so  often  occurs  that 
I  had  still  some  apprehension  that  her  recovery 
might  be  protracted.  I  trust  by  this  time  she 
has  regained  her  usual  health,  for  what  a  blessing 
is  the  enjoyment  of  good  health  !  We  do  not 
appreciate  it,  even  when  we  have  it  ourselves,  if 
those  around  us  are  enjoying  it  too.  It  is  only 
when  half  of  those  about  us,  with  whom  we  are 

174 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

associated  daily,  are  prostrated  by  disease,  that 
we  feel  grateful  that  we  are  excepted  from  the 
pains  and  sufferings  of  the  sick-bed.  I  have 
been  so  far  wonderfully  spared,  having,  with  but 
few  exceptions,  enjoyed  most  excellent  health 
ever  since  I  have  been  in  the  country.  Since  I 
left  Puebla,  in  August  last,  I  have  not  lost  a 
day's  duty.  I  have  become,  in  a  great  measure, 
a  teetotaller — very  seldom  drinking  anything.  I 
have  found  that  in  this  climate  it  is  better  to 
drink  little  and  to  be  sparing  in  your  diet.  The 
doctors  of  this  country  say  that  the  pulque  is 
very  healthy  to  drink  in  moderate  quantities. 
Few  of  our  people  are  fond  of  it  at  first,  but 
soon  become  accustomed  to  it.  Like  all  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race,  they  fall  in  with,  improve,  and 
go  ahead  of  everything  they  see.  The  court- 
martial  is  now  going  on  here.  Nobody  appears 
to  take  much  interest  in  it,  excepting  those  im- 
mediately concerned.  I  went  in  one  day  for  a 
few  minutes;  did  not  see  more  than  a  dozen 
persons  present.  I  know  but  little  of  the  merits 
of  the  case,  and  care  still  less.  General  Scott 
has  a  mind  as  gigantic  as  his  body,  but  he  alien- 
ates his  warmest  admirers  by  some  unfortunate 
remark — some  "hasty  plate  of  soup."  He  has 
no  tact,  is  hasty  in  his  disposition,  and,  I  think, 
rather  vindictive  in  his  hatred.      In  his  personal 

175 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

quarrel  with  General  Worth  he  has  carried  his 
enmity  to  the  whole  division,  and  has  done  it  an 
injustice  that  can  never  be  forgiven.  It  was 
rumored  that  the  treaty  was  received  here  by  the 
Mexican  authorities  five  days  ago,  but  this  is  not 
certain.  It  is  certain  that  some  important  des- 
patches were  received  and  forwarded  immediately 
to  Guerrero,  where  the  Mexican  Congress  is 
now  in  session.  Four  letter-writers  at  Washing- 
ton had  the  treaty  signed  here  the  ist  of  Febru- 
ary, and  that  was  within  two  days  of  the  time,  it 
having  been  signed  here  on  the  3d.  How  it  was 
possible  for  them  to  have  learned  this  is  more 
than  I  can  tell.  The  men  were  ignorant  of  it 
till  after  the  treaty  had  left,  and  then  they  only 
knew  of  it  through  the  Mexican  papers.  The 
same  papers  now  give  the  rumor  that  I  have 
mentioned  above.  I  hope  it  may  prove  as  correct. 
We  are  all  looking  with  much  anxiety  for  it,  hop- 
ing to  be  in  time  to  pass  Vera  Cruz  before  the 
winter  sets  in ;  or,  at  all  events,  to  go  down  to 
Jalapa,  where  we  can  have  constant  intercourse 
with  home.  A  few  weeks  more  and  the  rainy 
season  will  set  in,  which  will  prevent  our  mov- 
ing. Everything  goes  on  smoothly;  no  com- 
plaints as  yet  of  the  violation  of  the  armistice; 
and  I  am  encouraged  to  hope  something  will 
come   out   of  it.      I   correspond   regularly  with 

176 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Captain  Swartout.  He  is  now  in  Baltimore,  but 
says  he  is  daily  expecting  orders  to  come  out.  I 
am  afraid  he  will  not  be  able  to  stand  this  cli- 
mate. 

The  same  mail  that  brought  your  letter  brought 
one  Litchfield  paper  containing  the  proceedings 
of  the  county  convention.  I  am  glad  to  see  that 
Albert  has  obtained  the  nomination.  The  Whigs 
stumble  on  a  good  thing  occasionally.  I  was 
afraid  at  one  time  that  the  Whigs  might  do  some- 
thing at  the  next  election,  but  they  are  wearing 
away.  As  much  as  I  am  disgusted  with  the 
Democrats,  1  am  still  more  so  with  the  Whigs. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Castle  of  Chapultepec,  near   Mexico, 

April  7,  1848. 

My  dear  sister : 

I  received  your  very  welcome  letter  of  March 
3d  this  morning.  I  had  but  a  few  days  pre- 
viously received  one  from  father,  and  had  an- 
swered it  (by  sending  it  to  the  office),  when  a 
courier  arrived,  bringing  the  intelligence  that  the 
treaty  had  passed,  and  that  another  courier 
would  soon  be^  here  with  an  authentic  copy. 
Accordingly,  the   next  day,  the  3rd,  he  arrived, 

177 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

and  brought  us  what  was  about  as  welcome, 
news  that  a  mail  left  with  him  and  would  be 
here  in  a  few  hours.  This  came  last  night,  only 
four  days  from  Vera  Cruz  —  almost  with  the 
speed  of  Johnson's  express.  Your  letter  relieved 
me  of  much  apprehension  that  I  had  felt  for 
some  time  in  consequence  of  your  terrible  sick- 
ness, although  father  and  Olive  both  had  written 
that  you  were  slowly  recovering;  but  now  that 
you  are  able  to  ride  so  far,  I  hope  your  recovery 
will  be  more  speedy.  I  shall  not  now  feel  half 
the  anxiety  to  return  to  the  States  that  I  had 
previously,  for,  aside  from  seeing  and  knowing 
that  you  were  all  well,  I  am  very  well  contented 
to  spend  the  summer  here.  I  may  here  make 
a  virtue  of  necessity,  for  it  is  out  of  the  question 
now  to  leave  the  country  before  autumn,  pro- 
vided everything  succeeds  to  our  most  sanguine 
expectations.  Everything  here  now  looks  as 
favorable  as  we  could  wish.  A  large  hospital  is 
ordered  to  be  established  at  Jalapa,  and  the  sick 
here  are  to  go  on  at  once  next  Saturday.  The 
mail  leaves  on  the  9th.  Since  the  armistice 
large  numbers  of  the  Mexicans  of  the  higher 
classes  have  returned  to  the  city.  Many  of 
them  are  officers,  both  civil  and  military,  and 
it  is  no  unusual   thing  to   see  small  bodies  of 

178 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

troops  passing  without  taking  notice  of  each 
other  —  a  very  different  state  of  things  from 
what  there  was  during  the  armistice  in  August 
last.  Then  there  were  continual  complaints  of 
its  violation  ;  and,  although  they  had  an  army 
of  fifteen  thousand  men,  none  were  ever  to  be 
seen,  and  the  people  had  a  sort  of  defiance  in 
their  looks,  which  is  seldom  seen  now.  If  straws 
show  which  way  the  wind  blows,  this  may  be  an 
indication  that  we  may  finally  leave  the  country. 
A  large  party  started  last  Monday  for  the  vol- 
canic mountain  some  fifty  miles  from  here.  I 
had  half  a  mind  to  go  with  them,  but  as  I  heard 
some  doubts  expressed  about  their  ever  reaching 
the  top,  I  concluded  to  postpone  my  visit. 
Humboldt  says  that  no  one  has  ever  reached 
the  top  on  the  first  trial,  and  Prescott  says  that 
some  of  Cortez's  officers  went  up  and  descended 
into  the  crater  in  a  basket,  and  collected  sulphur, 
which  was  used  in  making  powder.  This,  I 
think,  may  well  be  doubted;  as  some  one  said, 
after  relating  a  big  story,  "  I  did  not  see  it,  and 
therefore  cannot  vouch  for  its  truth."  The 
rainy  season  is  just  setting  in.  For  about  a  week 
we  have  daily  a  gentle  shower  in  the  afternoon, 
and  the  fields  that  could  not  be  watered  look 
fresh  as  ours  the  last  of  May.      In  the  valley, 

179 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

and  near  the  base  of  the  hills  which  surround 
it,  it  is  watered  by  artificial  means  from  the  hills, 
and  therefore  produces  crops  the  year  around. 
In  the  market  you  will  find  the  same  vegetables 
and  the  same  fruits  fresh  at  all  seasons.  These 
frequently  are  brought  a  long  distance  by  the 
Indians  on  their  backs.  I  see  that  a  Lieutenant 
W is  allowing  himself  to  be  lionized  in  Hart- 
ford. I  took  the  trouble  to  inquire  about  him, 
and  learned  from  an  officer  of  his  regiment  that 
he  was  sick  all  of  the  time  he  was  in  the  coun- 
try, and  that,  so  far  from  being  in  any  of  the 
actions  here,  he  has  not  even  smelled  powder 
since  he  came  into  the  country.  This  was  his 
misfortune  and  not  his  fault,  as  it  was  of  some  five 
others  of  the  same  regiment  that  had  conscien- 
tious or  other  scruples  about  fighting;  but  this 
they  did  not  find  out  till  too  late  to  save  their 
credit.  If  you  make  lions  out  of  such  stuff,  I 
think  I  have  capital  enough  to  set  myself  up. 
I  am  afraid,  however,  that  I  shall  not  be  able 
to  leave  here  until  there  have  been  too  many 
triumphal  tours  made.  Captain  Wessels  is 
here,  and  I  see  him  frequently.  He  is  a  very 
clever  gentleman  and  a  fine  officer ;  there  are 
but  few  better  of  his  rank  in  the  service.  The 
court-martial  is  driving  its  slow  length  along; 
it  will  adjourn  in  a  few  days  to  New  Orleans,  and 

1 80 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

from  there  to  Washington.     Nobody  thinks  or 
cares  anything  about  it  here. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Castle  of  Chapultepec,  April  20,  1848. 

My  dear  father: 

Last  Sunday  I  received  your  letter  of  March 
1 8th,  having  received  some  days  previously  that 
of  Emily  from  Kent  —  the  one  you  refer  to. 
Mr.  Sevier  arrived  last  Sunday.  The  Mexican 
Congress  has  not  yet  assembled.  It  is  wanting 
some  sixteen  to  make  a  quorum.  These  have 
been  elected  from  this  state  and  Puebla,  and  it 
is  believed  will  go  on  immediately,  giving  them 
a  quorum,  and  then  there  can  be  no  excuse  for 
their  not  acting  on  the  treaty.  Mr.  Sevier  has 
said  that  they  shall  show  their  hands  at  once, 
and  declare  whether  they  are  for  peace  or  not. 
If  for  peace,  they  shall  ratify  the  treaty  at  once, 
and  the  army  shall  move  toward  the  coast.  But 
if  they  are  for  war,  they  shall  have  it  to  their 
hearts'  content.  Everything  looks  favorable  yet, 
and  I  can  hardly  think  that  anything  will  happen 
to  change  this  desirable  result.  Yet  they  are  a 
strange  people.  I  was  a  little  surprised  to  see 
that  Morris,  Webster,  and  Baldwin  voted  against 

181 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

the  treaty.  Mr.  Benton  went  against  it  because 
his  son-in-law  had  recently  been  found  guilty 
of  mutiny,  and  had  been  dismissed  from  the  ser- 
vice. The  court  here  adjourns  next  Friday  to  the 
States,  stopping  a  few  days  at  New  Orleans  to 
take  evidence,  and  then  will  proceed  to  Wash- 
ington for  the  final  result.  So  far  there  is  not 
much  direct  proof  against  General  Pillow,  and  I 
think  he  must  be  acquitted  by  the  court;  but  the 
sentiment  of  the  army  will  never  acquit  him. 
General  Scott  always  makes  some  faux  pas  that 
derogates  from  his  high  position,  and  takes 
one  half  the  eclat  from  the  brilliant  military 
achievements  he  performs.  A  court  of  inquiry 
has  followed  every  campaign  he  has  conducted, 
yet  he  has  been  wonderfully  successful  in  all  ex- 
cept that  of  Florida.  His  luck  better  not  be 
pushed  further ;  the  Whigs  better  let  him  alone. 
The  mail  has  arrived,  but  brought  no  letters  for 
me.  The  French  revolution  is  all  the  topic  now. 
Louis  Phillipe,  with  all  his  shrewdness,  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  able  to  curb  the  democracy 
of  the  French.  The  English  may  yet  see  a 
model  Republic  under  their  very  noses,  and  it 
may  give  them  much  trouble.  We  shall  see 
some  great  events  there  yet. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

J.  Sedgwick. 
182 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

Castle  of  Chapultepec, 

May  3,  1848. 

My  dear  sister: 

1  had  hoped  before  this  that  I  should  have 
been  on  my  way  to  Vera  Cruz,  or  could  at  least 
have  named  a  day  when  we  were  to  start;  but  I 
cannot.  Although  the  peace  prospects  are  as 
bright  as  they  ever  have  been,  it  may  be  some 
weeks  before  we  leave  the  city.  Rumor  says 
now  that  as  soon  as  the  treaty  is  ratified  by  the 
Mexican  Government,  the  whole  army  is  to  leave 
the  country  immediately,  and  not  wait  at  Jalapa, 
as  has  been  heretofore  supposed.  This,  I  think, 
the  best  way,  as  we  should  not  lose  as  many 
men  by  passing  through  Vera  Cruz,  provided 
there  was  no  delay,  as  we  should  by  keeping  all 
the  volunteers  here  during  the  summer.  I  don't 
know  where  my  regiment  will  be  sent  after  the 
war — probably  somewhere  on  the  coast,  and,  I 
hope,  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York.  A  strong 
force  will  be  left  on  the  boundary  line,  but  princi- 
pally infantry,  for  the  safety  of  our  frontier,  to 
prevent  any  invasion  either  from  Indians  or 
Mexicans.  There  is  much  more  intercourse  be- 
tween the  citizens  and  the  officers  than  formerly. 
It  is  now  no  difficult  thing  to  approach  the  best 
society  socially  ;  formerly  this   was   impossible, 

183 


CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

but,  I  believe,  through  no  fault  of  the  ladies, 
who  have  always  been  disposed  to  encourage  the 
visits  of  the  officers,  but  have  been  prevented 
by  the  interference  of  the  men ;  and  this  inter- 
ference has  often  been  from  political  considera- 
tions. What  must  be  the  Government  who  will 
persecute  its  citizens  for  performing  the  ordinary 
decorums  of  life  !  And  yet  many  of  the  citi- 
zens here  will  tell  you  that  they  are  afraid  to  ask 
you  to  dine,  for  fear  of  the  consequences  after 
the  army  leaves.  In  the  same  way,  if  a  man  has 
a  large  quantity  of  flour  or  corn  to  sell,  he  will 
request  that  a  force  be  sent  to  take  it,  and  then 
charge  one  third  more  for  it  than  he  can  get 
from  his  own  people.  I  wrote  you  some  time 
since  that  a  party  had  gone  to  Popocatapetl. 
The  first  effort  to  reach  the  top  failed,  the  party 
suffering  terribly.  Some  of  them  returned  to 
the  city,  others  concluded  to  wait  for  more  fa- 
vorable weather.  The  second  party  had  better 
success,  and  reached  the  top,  planting  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  on  its  very  summit,  and  this  without 
any  difficulty,  except  what  they  experienced  from 
the  cold.  The  first  party  failed  in  consequence 
of  the  snows,  reaching  two  thousand  feet  lower 
than  usual,  and  the  guides  can  only  go  as  far  as 
the  snow,  or  a  short  distance  into  it.  They  then 
give  the  directions  that  you  are  to  pursue,  and 

184 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

return  to  conduct  you  back.  This  party,  as  I 
said,  suffered  severely,  two  or  three  becoming 
totally  blind,  and  were  so  for  days,  while  the 
blood  gushed  out  of  the  noses,  ears,  and  eyes  of 
others,  their  veins  swelling  so  as  to  burst;  and 
one  became  so  benumbed  that  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  that  his  life  was  saved.  He  afterward 
went  up  with  the  other  party.  They  represent 
it  as  the  most  magnificent  sight  in  the  world. 
The  crater  is  said,  by  some  travelers,  to  be  from 
twelve  hundred  to  two  thousand  feet  deep;  but 
these  gentlemen  did  not  think  it  to  be  more 
than  six  hundred.  They  did  not  see  any  sul- 
phur, but  saw  the  smoke,  and  perceived  a  sul- 
phurous smell.  They  think  it  extremely  doubt- 
ful whether  Cortez  could  ever  have  obtained 
sulphur  from  there,  but  of  course  great  changes 
may  have  taken  place."  The  cities  of  Mexico 
and  Puebla,  and  other  smaller  places  at  a  dis- 
tance of  one  hundred  miles,  more  or  less,  looked 
as  if  they  were  on  the  same  level  as  the  top  of 
the  mountain.  In  looking  down  into  the  valley, 
it  seemed  a  great  distance,  and  very  steep,  but 
in  casting  your  eye  from  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tain out,  everything  appeared  to  rise,  untilj  as 
I  said,  you  get  to  the  distance  of  the  city,  sixty 
miles,  when  everything  appeared  to  be  on  a 
level  with  you.     You  must  remember  that  I  was 

i8s 


CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

not  one  of  the  party,  and  am  therefore  relating 
what  was  told  me  by  one  who  was;  but  I  believe 
that  he  described  things  as  they  appeared  to 
him;  besides,  all  of  them  could  not  agree  as  to 
distance,  etc.,  which  shows  that  travelers  may 
differ,  and  yet  be  sincere  in  what  they  write — 
one  in  stating  that  it  appeared  to  be  twelve  hun- 
dred, another  that  he  thought  it  two  thousand 
feet  deep. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Sedgwick. 

Castle  of  Chapultepec, 

May  7,  1848. 

My  dear  father: 

I  have  nothing  to  write  in  addition  to  what 
I  have  said  to  Emily  in  my  letter  of  the  4th 
instant,  which  goes  by  this  mail  to-day.  We  re- 
ceived a  mail  a  few  hours  after  I  had  finished 
her  letter,  but  I  received  no  letter  from  home. 
The  peace  news  is  very  flattering.  It  is  under- 
stood that  a  quorum  is  in  attendance,  and  will 
act  on  the  treaty  without  delay.  Some  of  the 
members  have  threatened  to  leave,  thereby  de- 
priving the  Government  of  the  number  to  trans- 
act business;  but  it  is  believed  that  the  Govern- 
ment will  coerce  their  attendance,  or  make  such 

186 


GENERAL  JOHN    SEDGWICK 

examples  of  them  as  will  deter  others.  It  is 
said  they  can  pursue  another  method:  the  Presi- 
dent can  declare  that  California,  and  such  other 
States  as  have  not  sent  delegates,  shall  be  de- 
prived of  their  representatives,  thereby  redu- 
cing the  number  so  that  the  present  house  can 
go  on  with  business;  but  it  is  hoped  that  they 
will  not  be  pushed  to  this  resort,  but  will  act 
promptly.  One  month  will  decide  whether  we 
are  to  have  peace  or  to  remain  in  possession  of 
their  whole  country.  For  myself,  if  they  do  not 
make  peace  now,  I  would  never  consent  to  give 
them  another  chance,  but  go  to  work  in  earnest 
and  nationalize  the  whole  country.  It  is  our 
destiny  to  have  it  sooner  or  later,  and  the  sooner 
the  better.  I  wish  you  would  write  to  Truman 
Smith  for  a  copy  of  the  public  documents.  They 
contain  all  the  sub-reports  of  the  officers  in  the 
valley.  You  will  find  them  interesting,  and  I 
should  like  to  preserve  them  for  reference.  They 
are  bound  up  with  the  President's  messages,  and 
contain  all  the  correspondence,  etc.  I  presume 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  your  getting  them. 
I  have  written  you  that,  some  time  since,  a  great 
robbery  was  attempted  here,  in  which  a  murder 
was  committed,  and  that  two  or  more  officers 
were  implicated.  It  now  appears  that  another 
officer  has  been  arrested,  and,  I  am  sorry  to  say, 

187 


GENERAL   JOHN    SEDGWICK 

one  of  the  old  army  and  a  graduate  of  the  mili- 
tary academy.  His  trial  is  now  going  on,  and 
many  think  that  he  is  guilty,  although  his  friends 
are  confident  of  his  being  acquitted.  He  has 
always  borne  a  good  character,  but  has  been  rather 
fond  of  money,  although  he  was  never  a  gambler. 
I  have  seen  no  paper  since  your  election,  and 
only  know  through  the  New  York  papers  that 
you  have  had  one.  Write  me  who  are  the  rep- 
resentatives from  our  town.  Albert,  I  con- 
clude, is  elected.    Give  my  love  to  all,  and  believe 


me,  as  ever, 


Your  affectionate  son, 

John  Sedgwick. 


i88 


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